Amyloid beta: Difference between revisions

'''Alzheimer's disease''' is characterized by extracellular proteic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.<ref name="structure">PMID: 12423364</ref> These plaques are collections of fibrils consisting mostly of beta-amyloid <scene name='Amyloid_beta/Fibrils/1'>fibrils</scene> of  aggregated beta-sheets. The oxidative stress that an affected brain is under is further proof of the toxicity of amyloid beta. When amyloid beta is in contact with metal ions and oxygen reactive oxygen species (especially hydrogen peroxide) are created.<ref name="alz">PMID:18305836</ref> Amyloid beta also maintains the capacity to to induce pore formation in neuronal and endothelial cells which can trigger cell death.<ref name="structure" /><ref name="alz" /> The final source of amyloid beta toxicity stems from its ability to induce endothelial cell damage through the production of superoxide, though the mechanism of such induction is unclear.<ref name="alz" />