Ultrastructural Studies of the Cells Forming Amyloid Fibers in Classical Plaques

Three-dimensional reconstruction and ultrastructural studies of classical plaques from the cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease showed that microglial cells of the plaques are the amyloid-forming cells. The amyloid star of the single plaque represents the product of five or six microglial cells covering about 80% of the amyloid star surface. The amyloid fibers appear to be formed within altered cisterns of the endoplasmic reticulum. Distended cisterns form channels filled with amyloid fibers. Numerous vesicles derived from the Golgi apparatus appear to be attached to or fused with the amyloid-filled channels. Reconstruction of the amyloid star and the microglia cell pole that forms the amyloid star reveals three different zones of distribution of cytoplasmic organelles and amyloid deposits. The peripheral zone comprises channels filled with loosely packed amyloid fibers arranged in a parallel manner. The transient zone consists of a mixture of fusing amyloid channels and products of disintegration of cytoplasmic pockets, dense bodies and fragments of cellular membranes. The core of the amyloid star is composed of condensed, densely packed amyloid fibers that are free of cellular debris. Formation of the three zones supports the idea that the microglia/macrophages are not phagocytes but instead are the cells manufacturing the amyloid fibers.