Drusen deposits associated with aging and age-related macular degeneration contain nonfibrillar amyloid oligomers
J. Clin. Invest. Volker Luibl, et al. 116:378 doi:10.1172/JCI25843 [Go to this article.]

Figure 1
Immunolocalization of amyloidogenic oligomers in drusen by confocal laser microscopy. (A, C, E, and G) Differential interference contrast images. (B, D, F, and H) Confocal fluorescence images of amyloid oligomer cores (green, FITC channel). Drusen exhibit amyloid oligomer reactivity in the form of a core-like structure that accumulates centrally within drusen and in close proximity to the Bm. Autofluorescence of lipofuscin granules in the RPE cytoplasm is shown in red (Cy3 channel). (A and B) Anti-oligomer–specific antibody recognizes a spherical structure (∼15 μm) in a small druse (∼30 μm). (C–F) Two larger drusen with centrally located core structure. (G and H) A very large macular soft druse from an 81-year-old female donor. Despite the difference in sizes and shapes of the drusen, the amyloid oligomer cores remain 10–15 μm in size. Scale bars: 10 μm.