Что означает *(uint8_t*)(&pbuf)?

uint16_t hal_nrf_read_multibyte_reg(uint8_t reg, uint8_t *pbuf)
{
  uint8_t ctr, length;
  uint8_t memtype;
  uint8_t read_byte; /*lint -esym(530,read_byte) symbol not initialized*/
  bool first_round;
  first_round = true;
 
  memtype = *(uint8_t*)(&pbuf);
 
  switch(reg)
  {
    case HAL_NRF_PIPE0:
    case HAL_NRF_PIPE1:
    case HAL_NRF_TX:
      length = ctr = hal_nrf_get_address_width();
      CSN_LOW();
      hal_nrf_rw(RX_ADDR_P0 + reg);
      break;
 
    case HAL_NRF_RX_PLOAD:
      reg = hal_nrf_get_rx_data_source();
      if (reg < 7U)
      {
        length = ctr = hal_nrf_read_rx_payload_width();
        CSN_LOW();
        hal_nrf_rw(R_RX_PAYLOAD);
      }
      else
      {
        ctr = length = 0U;
      }
      break;
 
    default:
      ctr = length = 0U;
      break;
  }
 
  if (memtype == 0x00U)
  {
    uint8_t data *buf = (uint8_t data *)pbuf;
    NRF_READ_MULTIBYTE_REG_COMMON_BODY
  }
  else if (memtype == 0x01U)
  {
    uint8_t xdata *buf = (uint8_t xdata *)pbuf;
    NRF_READ_MULTIBYTE_REG_COMMON_BODY
  }
  else if (memtype == 0xFEU)
  {
    uint8_t pdata *buf = (uint8_t pdata *)pbuf;
    NRF_READ_MULTIBYTE_REG_COMMON_BODY
  }
  else
  {
    uint8_t *buf = (uint8_t *)pbuf;
    NRF_READ_MULTIBYTE_REG_COMMON_BODY
  }
 
  CSN_HIGH();
 
  return (((uint16_t) reg << 8) | length);
}