IN VITRO FORMATION OF CONGOPHILIC MALTESE-CROSS AMYLOID PLAQUES TO IDENTIFY ANTI-PLAQUE THERAPEUTICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S AND PRION DISEASES

摘要

The invention describes the formation of amyloid plaques by coincubation of an amyloid protein with sulfated macromolecules such as perlecan. The resulting plaques may be stained with congo red and demonstrate a maltese-cross pattern when viewed under polarized light. Alternatively the plaques may be stained with Thioflavin S when under fluorescence microscopy.