Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. It is characterized by the extracellular accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits called senile or neuritic plaques. Aβ is generated by the proteolytic cleavage of Aβ precursor protein (APP) by β and γ-secretases localized in the secretory and endocytic compartments. In this issue, Yu et al. (on p. 87) report a novel mechanism for the generation of Aβ peptides, which takes place in autophagic vacuoles (AVs) that accumulate in AD brains.
The Rockefeller University Press
2005
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