Cerebral and peripheral amyloid phagocytes--an old liaison with a new twist.
In this month's issue of Nature Medicine, Town et al. suggest that peripheral macrophages invading the brain reduce cerebral amyloidosis and thus may play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This observation intensifies the longstanding controversy of whether mononuclear cells such as macrophages and/or microglial cells are beneficial or detrimental in AD.
Jucker
Mathias
M
Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. mathias.jucker@uni-tuebingen.de
Heppner
Frank L
FL
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D000682:Amyloid