Association of Corpora Amylacea Formation with Astrocytes and Cerebrospinal Fluid in the Aged Human Brain.
10.11637/kjpa.2012.25.4.177
- Author:
In Hye NAM
1
;
Dong Woon KIM
;
Hee Jung SONG
;
Sooil KIM
;
Keon Su LEE
;
Young Ho LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Korea. yhlee@cnu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Corpora amylacea;
Brain;
Aging;
Astrocytes;
Cerebrospinal fluid;
Choroid plexus
- MeSH:
Aged;
Aging;
Animals;
Astrocytes;
Blood Vessels;
Brain;
Cadaver;
Choroid;
Choroid Plexus;
Dentate Gyrus;
Hippocampus;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Lateral Ventricles;
Neurodegenerative Diseases;
Neurons
- From:Korean Journal of Physical Anthropology
2012;25(4):177-184
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Corpora amylacea (CA) are glycoproteinaceous inclusions that accumulate in the human brain during normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Although it has been suggested that the cellular sources of CA are neuronal or glial, the mechanisms underlying CA formation remain controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the source of CA in the human brain. Sample of the human brain tissues were obtained from the cadavers. H-E stain, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, and immunohistochemistry were performed in the brain tissues. Experimental induction of CA was also performed in rats. CA have been found in large numbers in the superficial, rather than in the deep, layer of the white matter in the lateral ventricle that is in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sometimes near the blood vessels. Destroyed choroid plexi with psammoma bodies have been observed in the lateral ventricle of aged brains containing substantial numbers of CA. The cores of CA were mainly composed of amorphous PAS-positive materials, and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytic processes were attached to the surface of the CA. Weak MAP2 was detected on a few CA in the gray matter such as dentate gyrus. PAS-positive CA were located on the border of the hippocampus contacting the CSF in the lateral ventricle in the cysteamine-induced CA animal model. Taken together, main cellular source of CA is astrocytes and CA core formation may be associated with CSF in the aged human brain.
