Molecular and genetic investigations on Alzheimer brain amyloid.

Amyloid-containing plaques are a characteristic feature of the Alzheimer's disease brain and have been the object of study for decades. Only recently, however, have molecular and genetic techniques been applied to examination of amyloid in order to understand the factors that contribute to the accumulation of plaques in dementia. Current investigations have focused on the structure and properties of the amyloid protein, its corresponding messenger RNA, its cellular site of production, and its chromosomal site of origin. These data are discussed in the present review.