A short historical survey of developments in amyloid research.

One of the hallmarks of modern science is technically controlled experimentation. In this paper, we underline how technical developments over the last 150 years have repeatedly created new horizons in amyloid research. The main focus is on chemical and biophysical analyses of amyloid fibrils in vivo and in vitro. Investigations into mechanistic aspects of fibril formation and possible links with pathogenesis are also discussed.