Cleanup of Alzheimer's Plaques Slowed (IMAGE)

Washington University School of Medicine

Cleanup of Alzheimer's Plaques Slowed

Caption

Normally, brain cells known as microglia (green) surround Alzheimer's plaques (blue) to help clear such plaques and other cellular debris from the brain. But the microglia shown above lack a key protein involved in this process. Scientists think the protein may be a treatment target for Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders that new research has linked to the protein.

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Yaming Wang/Bernd Zinselmeyer

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