HISTOCHEMICAL-LOCALIZATION OF GLYCOCONJUGATES ON MICROGLIAL CELLS IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE BRAIN SAMPLES BY USING ABRUS-PRECATORIUS, MAACKIA-AMURENSIS, MOMORDICA-CHARANTIA, AND SAMBUCUS-NIGRA LECTINS

Four lectins (Abrus precatorius (APA), Maackia amurensis (MAA), Momord ica charantia (MCA) and Sambucus nigra (SNA)) have been used to identi fy glycohistochemically the microglial cells (MGC) activation in autop tic brain samples from Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects. Three of the se lectins (APA, MAA and MCA) have utilized as microglial cell markers for the first time. The identification of new markers for the study o f MGC is very important to better understand the role of these type of cells in the metabolic/dismetabolic control of beta A4 in AD which st ill represents a vexata questio. (C) 1998 Academic Press.