Collagenous structures present in brain contain epitopes shared by collagen and microtubule-associated protein tau.
A novel type of collagenous fibers has been isolated from human brain and characterized by electron microscopy and optical diffraction. It was found that the morphology of the fibers is similar, but not identical, to that of skin collagen. Also, the collagenous fibers show some similarities with the paracrystals that could be assembled in vitro from purified microtubule-associated protein tau. Immunological analyses indicated the presence of epitopes in these collagenous fibers which react with antibodies against collagen and tau.
Centro de Biología Molecular (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
E
E
Montejo de Garcini
J L
JL
Carrascosa
A
A
Nieto
J
J
Avila
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013552:Swine; D016875:tau Proteins
D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016875:tau Proteins; D003094:Collagen