title: Extracellular neurofibrillary tangles associated with degenerating neurites and neuropil threads in Alzheimer-type dementia.
abstract: We examined the cellular components of extracellular neurofibrillary tangles (E-NFT) in the hippocampal areas in cases with Alzheimer-type dementia. Immunohistochemically, the E-NFT were labeled for the C terminus of tau and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Moreover, the majority of the E-NFT was associated with intensely argyrophilic rods and with tau- and ubiquitin-immunoreactive dots. Ultrastructurally, the E-NFT consisted mainly of extracellular paired helical filaments (PHF) and astroglial processes. The extracellular PHF tended to be straighter and thinner. One third of the E-NFT was associated with small degenerating neurites containing many dense bodies and with neuropil threads containing PHF. These findings suggested that extracellular PHF promote both intense astroglial reaction and neuritic alteration, and that the E-NFT are continuously changing their morphology.
authors.affiliation: College of Medical Care and Technology, Gunma University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawarabayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morimatsu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides