Microglia around amyloid plaque (IMAGE)

Washington University School of Medicine

Microglia around amyloid plaque

Caption

Immune cells known as microglia (turquoise with red dots) surround a plaque of the Alzheimer's protein amyloid (blue). The red dots indicate that the microglia are prepared to remove the potentially damaging plaque. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered a protein that links the amyloid-removal process to the circadian clock. The protein, YKL-40, could help explain why people with Alzheimer's frequently suffer from sleep disturbances, and provide a new target for Alzheimer's therapies.

Credit

Brian Lananna

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