title: Glial fibrillary acidic protein and Alzheimer-type senile dementia.
abstract: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a protein that is associated with 9-nm filaments of astrocytes, was observed to be increased in the astrocytes surrounding senile plaques in patients with Alzheimer dementia and in aged subjects without dementia. A few GFAP-positive fibers were seen in the centers of plaques. These results emphasized the selectivity of senile changes; whereas some cells seemed to undergo degeneration or dysfunction, other cells--astrocytes--maintain their capacity for reaction and may increase the formation of at least one protein, GFAP.
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins