Home LiteratureArticle Details
PMID: 6036530 Published · ppublish English Journal Article

High-resolution electron microscopic analysis of the amyloid fibril.

The Journal of cell biology ·Vol. 33 ·No. 3 ·1967-06-00 ·Pages 679-708

Shirahama T, Cohen AS

Abstract

The ultrastructural organization of the fibrous component of amyloid has been analyzed by means of high resolution electron microscopy of negatively stained isolated amyloid fibrils and of positively stained amyloid fibrils in thin tissue sections. It was found that a number of subunits could be resolved according to their dimensions. The following structural organization is proposed. The amyloid fibril, the fibrous component of amyloid as seen in electron microscopy of thin tissue sections, consists of a number of filaments aggregated side-by-side. These amyloid filaments are approximately 75-80 A in diameter and consist of five (or less likely six) subunits (amyloid protofibrils) which are arranged parallel to each other, longitudinal or slightly oblique to the long axis of the filament. The filament has often seemed to disperse into several longitudinal rows. The amyloid protofibril is about 25-35 A wide and appears to consist of two or three subunit strands helically arranged with a 35-50-A repeat (or, less likely, is composed of globular subunits aggregated end-to-end). These amyloid subprotofibrillar strands measure approximately 10-15 A in diameter.

MeSH Terms
Amyloidosis/pathology Humans Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Polarization Spleen/pathology
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Shirahama T
Cohen A S
References (68)
68 references, click to expand
  1. ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF BACTERIAL FLAGELLA.
    J Mol Biol. 1965 Feb;11:293-313 PMID: 14290347
  2. AMYLOIDOSIS AND LYMPHOID APLASIA IN MOUSE RADIATION CHIMERAS.
    Am J Pathol. 1965 Feb;46:263-77 PMID: 14256750
  3. Demonstration of amyloid with direct cotton dyes. Experiences with a new method for the selective staining of amyloid by sirius red F3BA and sirius supra scarlet GG-CF.
    Arch Pathol. 1965 Dec;80(6):613-20 PMID: 5855801
  4. The use of shadow-casting technique for measurement of the width of elongated particles.
    J Cell Biol. 1963 May;17:321-6 PMID: 13939628
  5. Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods.
    J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Feb;9:409-14 PMID: 13764136
  6. About the submicroscopic structure of the amyloid.
    Schweiz Z Pathol Bakteriol. 1949;12(3):253-62 PMID: 18129244
  7. The microcrystalline structure of cellulose in cell walls of cotton, ramie, and jute fibers as revealed by negative staining of sections.
    J Cell Biol. 1966 May;29(2):181-97 PMID: 4164010
  8. The molecular configuration of alpha-keratin.
    J Mol Biol. 1961 Oct;3:640-7 PMID: 13894768
  9. Electron microscope and low-angle x-ray diffraction studies of the nerve myelin sheath.
    J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1957 Sep 25;3(5):725-48 PMID: 13475388
  10. Structure of the proximal ends of bacterial flagella.
    J Mol Biol. 1965 Nov;14(1):297-9 PMID: 5327655
  11. [The fine structure of the spleen and liver in experimental amyloidosis].
    Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1960;52:653-73 PMID: 13689742
  12. The relation between isolated human amyloid fibrils and human gamma-globulin and its subunits.
    J Immunol. 1966 Feb;96(2):239-44 PMID: 4160484
  13. ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURE OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC PROTEIN FILAMENTS FROM STRIATED MUSCLE.
    J Mol Biol. 1963 Sep;7:281-308 PMID: 14064165
  14. An electron microscope study of the fine structure of feather keratin.
    J Cell Biol. 1962 Apr;13:1-12 PMID: 13892901
  15. A study of the fine structure of the amyloid associated with familial Mediterranean fever.
    Am J Pathol. 1962 Nov;41:567-78 PMID: 14022004
  16. Physical properties of a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli.
    J Mol Biol. 1966 May;17(1):302-4 PMID: 5335760
  17. Experimental amyloidosis. I. Light and electron microscopic observation of spleen and lymph nodes.
    Lab Invest. 1962 Aug;11:585-93 PMID: 13905899
  18. The solubilization and reconstitution of bone collagen.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1965 Aug;13(1):163-71 PMID: 5891446
  19. Metachromasy of amyloid; a spectrophotometric study with particular reference to the dye-chromotrope bond.
    Lab Invest. 1956 Jan-Feb;5(1):21-43 PMID: 13279126
  20. PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF RNA-POLYMERASE PARTICLES.
    J Mol Biol. 1964 Dec;10:546-50 PMID: 14257699
  21. Action of saponin on biological cell membranes.
    Nature. 1962 Dec 8;196:952-5 PMID: 13966357
  22. Solubility characteristics of isolated amyloid fibrils.
    Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Jul 8;104(2):480-6 PMID: 5855054
  23. Experimental amyloidosis. II. Light and electron microscopic observations of liver.
    Am J Pathol. 1964 Apr;44(4):629-44 PMID: 5877510
  24. The fine structure of the glomerulus in amyloidosis.
    Arch Pathol. 1960 Mar;69:323-32 PMID: 14424800
  25. Molecular organization in alpha-keratin.
    Nature. 1962 Mar 17;193:1052-5 PMID: 13894765
  26. The structure of keratin protofibrils.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1966 Feb;14(3):294-9 PMID: 4160137
  27. STRUCTURE OF BACTERIAL FLAGELLA.
    Nature. 1964 May 9;202:538-40 PMID: 14195046
  28. ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDIES IN ALZHEIMER'S PRESENILE DEMENTIA.
    Am J Pathol. 1964 Feb;44:269-97 PMID: 14119171
  29. Electron microscopy of wool.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1959 Mar;2(3):309-30 PMID: 13655351
  30. A study of the fine structure of the kidney in casein-induced amyloidosis in rabbits.
    J Exp Med. 1960 Sep 1;112:479-90 PMID: 14448731
  31. The growth of snow crystals.
    Sci Am. 1961 Jan;204:120-31 PMID: 13767809
  32. THE SITE OF FORMATION AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF AMYLOID.
    Am J Pathol. 1963 Nov;43:837-54 PMID: 14075018
  33. Molecular and fine structure of alpha-keratin.
    Nature. 1962 Apr 7;194:31-4 PMID: 14452019
  34. Electron microscope observations on the structure of elastin.
    J Atheroscler Res. 1963 May-Jun;3:247-51 PMID: 13949468
  35. Electron microscopic observations on a fibrous component in amyloid of diverse origins.
    Nature. 1959 Apr 25;183(4669):1202-3 PMID: 13657054
  36. Structure of amyloid fibrils after negative staining and high-resolution electron microscopy.
    Nature. 1965 May 15;206(985):737-8 PMID: 4157926
  37. THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF FLAGELLAR FIBRILS.
    J Cell Biol. 1963 Aug;18:313-26 PMID: 14079491
  38. EXPERIMENTAL AMYLOIDOSIS. 3. LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF RENAL GLOMERULI.
    Lab Invest. 1964 Nov;13:1409-17 PMID: 14226504
  39. IN VITRO FORMATION OF FLAGELLA-LIKE FILAMENTS AND OTHER STRUCTURES FROM FLAGELLIN.
    J Mol Biol. 1964 Jul;9:168-85 PMID: 14200380
  40. THE FINE STRUCTURE AND MODE OF ATTACHMENT OF THE SHEATHED FLAGELLUM OF VIBRIO METCHNIKOVII.
    J Cell Biol. 1963 Aug;18:327-36 PMID: 14079492
  41. THE COILED-COIL MODEL OF ALPHA-KERATIN STRUCTURE.
    J Mol Biol. 1964 Oct;10:147-56 PMID: 14222887
  42. New features of amyloid found after digestion with trypsin.
    J Cell Biol. 1966 Mar;28(3):570-7 PMID: 5960811
  43. Electron microscope studies on collagen. IV. Structure of vitrosin fibrils and interaction properties of vitrosin molecules.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1965 Aug;13(1):172-91 PMID: 5891447
  44. [Electronoptic studies on liver amyloid in mice].
    Beitr Pathol Anat. 1962 Jun;126:300-20 PMID: 13865780
  45. Studies on experimental amyloidosis. I. Analysis of histology and staining reactions of casein-induced amyloidosis in the rabbit.
    Am J Pathol. 1959 Sep-Oct;35:971-89 PMID: 13810917
  46. The cause of the green polarization color of amyloid stained with Congo red.
    Histochemie. 1965 Jan 12;4(5):351-6 PMID: 4158459
  47. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy.
    J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:208-12 PMID: 13986422
  48. Staining of tissue sections for electron microscopy with heavy metals.
    J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Jul 25;4(4):475-8 PMID: 13563554
  49. Amyloid. 3. A protein related to the subunit structure of human amyloid fibrils.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 Feb;55(2):308-16 PMID: 5220947
  50. STRUCTURE AND ASSEMBLY OF MACROMOLECULAR LIPID COMPLEXES COMPOSED OF GLOBULAR MICELLES.
    J Mol Biol. 1964 May;8:727-48 PMID: 14187398
  51. ON THE BINDING OF DIRECT COTTON DYES BY AMYLOID.
    J Histochem Cytochem. 1964 Dec;12:900-7 PMID: 14249351
  52. The light and electron microscopic autoradiographic demonstration of local amyloid formation in spleen explants.
    Am J Pathol. 1965 Dec;47(6):1079-111 PMID: 5844380
  53. A note on the structure of crayfish myofilaments.
    J Cell Biol. 1963 Jul;18:213-8 PMID: 13942794
  54. The Mesangium of the Renal Glomerulus: Electron Microscopic Studies of Pathologic Alterations.
    Am J Pathol. 1963 Oct;43(4):555-78 PMID: 19971026
  55. Structural components of flagella from Salmonella typhimurium.
    J Mol Biol. 1962 Apr;4:227-38 PMID: 14455344
  56. A negative staining method for high resolution electron microscopy of viruses.
    Biochim Biophys Acta. 1959 Jul;34:103-10 PMID: 13804200
  57. The chemistry of connective tissues. 8. The composition of elastin from three bovine tissues.
    Biochem J. 1963 May;87:344-51 PMID: 13949469
  58. The ultrastructure of human amyloid as revealed by the negative staining technique.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1966 Mar;14(5):449-59 PMID: 4160282
  59. Electron microscopic observations of the spleen during the induction of experimental amyloidosis in the rabbit.
    Am J Pathol. 1960 Oct;37:413-31 PMID: 13694343
  60. NEGATIVE STAINING OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND THEIR STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION BY SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS AS OBSERVED IN THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE.
    J Mol Biol. 1964 May;8:660-8 PMID: 14187392
  61. ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT FIXATIVES ON THE APPEARANCE OF CELLULAR ULTRASTRUCTURE.
    Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1965 Apr 8;66(2):161-81 PMID: 14311508
  62. A congo red staining method for epoxy-embedded amyloid.
    J Histochem Cytochem. 1966 Oct;14(10):725-9 PMID: 5969757
  63. [Electron microscopic research on human amyloid in different primary diseases].
    Pathol Microbiol (Basel). 1961;24:387-96 PMID: 13689741
  64. Prostatic corpora amylacea. A study with the electron microscope and electron probe.
    Arch Pathol. 1965 Nov;80(5):487-94 PMID: 5844409
  65. THE ISOLATION OF AMYLOID FIBRILS AND A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF COLLAGENASE AND HYALURONIDASE.
    J Cell Biol. 1964 Jun;21:481-6 PMID: 14189915
  66. IMMUNOLOGIC STUDIES ON A PROTEIN EXTRACTED FROM HUMAN SECONDARY AMYLOID.
    N Engl J Med. 1965 Jul 15;273:143-6 PMID: 14303661
  67. URICASE: LOCALIZATION IN HEPATIC MICROBODIES.
    Science. 1964 Dec 4;146(3649):1316-8 PMID: 14207461
  68. THE INFLUENCE OF BUFFER SYSTEMS ON FIXATION WITH OSMIUM TETROXIDE.
    J Ultrastruct Res. 1965 Feb;12:22-45 PMID: 14289430
Article Info
Journal
The Journal of cell biology
Abbr.
J Cell Biol
ISSN
0021-9525
DOI
10.1083/jcb.33.3.679
Published
1967-06-00
Pages
679-708
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0375356
PMCID
PMC2107207
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1083/jcb.33.3.679 PMC Full Text View journal details
Analysis Services
Analysis Services

Contact

No. 2 Wenbo Road, Zhangqiu District, Jinan, Shandong

Qilu Normal University · Genelibs Bioinformatics Lab

750 Shunhua Rd, Jinan

2F, Bldg F, University Science Park

Tel: 0531-88819269

WeChat Official Account

Follow our WeChat subscription account for real-time updates and the latest in medical and biological research.


Business Email

E-mail: [email protected]

Copyright © 2026.Genelibs Jinan Honghui Biotechnology Co., Ltd. 鲁ICP备20007159号-2