Amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides are the main component forming amyloid plaques in the brains of affected with Alzheimer's disease. The amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is cleaved to yield the 36 -43 amino acids long Abeta peptide. Abeta peptides can aggregate to form flexible soluble oligomers that can, when misfolded, induce other Abeta molecules to misfolded, leading to a chain reaction similar to a prion infection. These misfolded oligomers are toxic to nerve cells, leading to brain damage as seen in Alzheimer.
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