How to start#
The Parkinson’s disease (PD) map (https://pdmap.uni.lu)
- displays disease-related molecular and biochemical pathways within a neuronal cell system, focused on a dopaminergic neuron, adjacent cells (i.e., astrocytes, microglia) and cellular structures (i.e., blood-brain-barrier, synaptic terminals).
- integrates more than 1300 manually curated publications and over 250 entries from public databases such as Reactome or KEGG (as of Sept, 2017).
- has an intuitive “Google Maps” display enabling easy navigation.
- is composed of
- species (here: elements, entities) such as genes, proteins, molecules, complexes, annotated with relevant database entries.
- reactions (or interactions) describing relations between species, annotated with relevant literature and/or database entries.
- LEGEND button (right upper side, blue panel) provides details on the format of elements and interactions.
Pathways and Compartments view “Pathways and compartments” is the default view providing an overview on the content.

Fig. 1: Pathways (grey) and compartments (coloured) view of the PD map
- provides hierarchical information on the cellular structures, processes and complexes.
- clicking in a compartment provides additional information in the left side panel.
- zooming out / in provides higher level compartment view or more detailed view on molecular species and interaction, respectively (see also chapter 2).
Biological overview
To get a view of the biological systems that are modelled in the PD map click on the button “Browse overview images” (Fig.2; red rectangle)

Fig. 2: Biological overview of the PD map
- Each figure contains three standard buttons in the left upper corner (“home”, “back”, ”to map”) to navigate through the pictures or to go to the respective area in the PD map.
- Clicking on the marked areas leads you to more detailed pictures of the surrounded area or, if no further downstream picture is available, it links to the respective areas in the PD map.
Important for tablet and smart phone use:
Do not tip to the links in the case you have enlarged the biological view. The links to the PD map only work proper when the biological view has its original size.
Submaps
- To maintain overall structure of the PD map, some parts of the main network where displayed in separate, more detailed submaps.
- The submaps are fully operational; i.e., search functions and data display works simultaneously on the whole PD map and on the submaps.
- Enter submaps by clicking the “SUBMAPS” tab . Click on magnifier to enter the receptive submap.
- Alternatively, you may click on dedicated elements in the map and open it from the left side information panel.