Left: normal astrocyte able to destroy toxic lipids produced by neurons. Right: an astrocyte that store s lipids in droplets (pink) and start s secreting toxic lipids in the surrounding tissue.
Left: normal astrocyte able to destroy toxic lipids produced by neurons. Right: an astrocyte that store s lipids in droplets ( pink ) and start s secreting toxic lipids in the surrounding tissue. UNIGE / A.-C. Gavin - A European consortium coordinated by UNIGE shows how a mutation in the APOE protein changes the lipid transport in the brain and could promote the arise of Alzheimer's disease. Neurons in the brain coexist with and rely on many other cell types to function properly. Astrocytes, which take their name from their star shape, ensure the survival of neurons by feeding and detoxifying them with the help of a multifunctional protein, APOE. One of three forms of this protein, APOE4 , significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, but the mechanisms at play are unknown.
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