Nestin-like immunoreactivity of corpora amylacea in aged human brain

Corpora amylacea (CA) are spherical bodies routinely observed throughout th e aged human brain, normally found at high frequencies under the ependymal lining of the ventricles. We identified clusters of CA under the ependyma o f the lateral and fourth ventricles in post-mortem brain material from Park inson patients as well as age-matched controls. Using a monoclonal antibody we found CA to be immunoreactive for nestin, a marker of neural stem cells , while no other structures in the investigated brain areas were labeled by this antibody. Nestin filaments are therefore possible structural componen ts of CA, a finding which may trigger new hypotheses regarding their biogen esis and function. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BY All rights reserved.