Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Anatomy

Theses and Dissertations

2006

Glycosphingolipid

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

The Role Of Sulfatide In Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Britton Beasley Jr. Jan 2006

The Role Of Sulfatide In Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Britton Beasley Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and loss of cortical neurons that control memory and cognition. The cause of NFTs and Aβ plaques is not clear, though it is known that they are formed by enzymes which are preferentially sequestered to membrane domains called lipid rafts. Sulfatide (ST) is a glycosphingolipid that is essential for the proper structure and function of lipid rafts. In mice that lack ST, membrane domains that are normally maintained by adhesive contacts and functional lipid rafts are improperly formed and are unstable. In these ST null …