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Detection and Quantification Methods for Fibrillar Products of In Vitro Tau Aggregation Assays

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Tau Protein

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1523))

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized in part by the intracellular misfolding and aggregation of tau protein. The aggregates, which range in size from small oligomers to large filaments, are markers for disease diagnosis and staging, potential vectors for disease propagation, and candidate sources of neurotoxicity. Here we present protocols for synthesizing large tau aggregates characterized by filamentous morphology and cross-β-sheet structure from monomeric full-length tau precursors in vitro. We also describe their detection and quantification through thioflavin dye binding, filter trap, and transmission electron microscopy methods. These methods cover applications requiring high-throughput capability as well as those requiring high-resolution analysis of aggregation mechanism.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by NIH grant NS077441. Electron micrographs were generated using instruments at the Campus Microscopy and Imaging Facility, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Signature Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Niki Nanavaty & Lauren Lin

  2. Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Samantha H. Hinckley & Jeff Kuret Ph.D.

  3. Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 1060 Carmack Rd., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Jeff Kuret Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Niki Nanavaty
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  2. Lauren Lin
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  3. Samantha H. Hinckley
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  4. Jeff Kuret Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeff Kuret Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. UMR CNRS 8576, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France

    Caroline Smet-Nocca

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Nanavaty, N., Lin, L., Hinckley, S.H., Kuret, J. (2017). Detection and Quantification Methods for Fibrillar Products of In Vitro Tau Aggregation Assays. In: Smet-Nocca, C. (eds) Tau Protein. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1523. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6598-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6598-4_6

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6596-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6598-4

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