eISSN: 1509-572x
ISSN: 1641-4640
Folia Neuropathologica
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1/2008
vol. 46
 
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abstract:

Subependymal plaques in scrapie-affected hamster brains – why are they so different from compact kuru plaques?

Beata Sikorska
,
Paul Brown

Folia Neuropathol 2008; 46 (1): 32-42
Online publish date: 2008/03/21
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We report here routine thin-section and immunogold electron microscopic studies on diffuse plaques in scrapie-affected hamster brains. These plaques were not discernible by routine H&E staining. Ultrastructurally, plaques were recognized as areas of low electron density containing haphazardly-oriented fibrils, but not as stellate compact structures typical of mouse scrapie models; hence we labelled them “loose plaques”. Following immunohistochemistry at the electron microscopy level, fibrils within plaques were heavily decorated with PrP-conjugated gold particles. Loose plaques were located beneath the basal border of the ependymal cells and around blood vessels in the adjacent subependymal neuropil. When dystrophic neurites containing electron-dense inclusion bodies, some of them autophagic vacuoles [59], were seen within the plaque perimeter, they always remained PrP-negative. Some microglial cells were observed in close contact with PrP-positive plaques, and secondary lysosomes within these cells were heavily decorated with gold particles.
keywords:

prion diseases, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, scrapie, amyloid plaques

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