Final answer:
The protein associated with the pericentriolar region that influences microtubules is Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (MAP-T), which stabilizes microtubules when phosphorylated and leads to their disassembly when hyper-phosphorylated, contributing to neurofibrillary tangles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The protein associated with the pericentriolar region that impacts microtubules is called Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (MAP-T). This protein has a critical role in maintaining the stability of microtubules. Normally, MAP-T is phosphorylated and binds to microtubules, which stabilizes them. However, when MAP-T becomes hyper-phosphorylated, it changes its conformation and can no longer stabilize microtubules. As a result, the microtubules can disassemble, and the abnormal tau proteins may form neurofibrillary tangles. The formation of neurofibrillary tangles is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. In normal cell functioning, the centrosome, which is the microtubule-organizing center, plays a critical role in organizing the microtubules during cell division and other processes.