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Neuropathological analysis of pathological forms of astroglia in Wilson's disease
Bertrand E, Lewandowska E, Szpak GM, Hoogenraad T, Blaauwgers HG, Członkowska A, Dymecki J.. Folia neuropathologica, 2001-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
A neuropathological study of Alzheimer type I (Alz I) and Alzheimer type II (Alz II) as well as Opalski (Opl) cells was performed serially on brain tissue from nine autopsied Wilson's disease (WD) cases. Conventional staining methods (Kluver-Barrera, HE, PAS) and immunocytochemical techniques (anti-GFAP and anti-Metallothionein-MT) were used. On conventional staining, each of the studied abnormal cell types retained common morphological characteristics of astroglia, and concurrently demonstrated its own distinctive features, specific only for a given cell type. Anti-GFAP staining revealed positive immunoreactivity of Alz I and Opl cells, and its absence in Alz II cells. On anti-MT staining both the cytoplasm and nucleus of Alz I and Opl cells showed positivity whereas in Alz II cells the cytoplasm was positive in contrast to the negative nucleus. The results of our study confirm the hypothesis of the astroglial origin of all three types of cells. The lack of immunoreactivity for GFAP and similar immunocytochemical staining patterns for MT in Alz II cells and protoplasmic astrocytes may suggest that Alz II cells originate from the protoplasmic type of astroglia. The fact that Alz I and Opl cells resemble fibrous astrocytes in their immunoreactive positivity for GFAP may lead to a supposition that they originate from the fibrous type of astroglia. MT-positive expression by the three abnormal cell types suggests that they may be involved in the process of copper detoxification in WD.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bertrand, E., Lewandowska, E., Szpak, G. M., Hoogenraad, T., Blaauwgers, H. G., Członkowska, A., et al. (2001). Neuropathological analysis of pathological forms of astroglia in Wilson's disease. Folia neuropathologica.
Vancouver
Bertrand E, Lewandowska E, Szpak GM, Hoogenraad T, Blaauwgers HG, Członkowska A, et al. Neuropathological analysis of pathological forms of astroglia in Wilson's disease. Folia neuropathologica. 2001. PMID: 11680638.
BibTeX
@article{bertrand2001-11680638,
author = {Bertrand, E. and Lewandowska, E. and Szpak, G. M. and Hoogenraad, T. and Blaauwgers, H. G. and Członkowska, A. and Dymecki, J.},
title = {{Neuropathological analysis of pathological forms of astroglia in Wilson's disease}},
journal = {Folia neuropathologica},
year = {2001},
pmid = {11680638}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. This record has no DOI, so the citation leaves it out. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- On conventional staining, each of the studied abnormal cell types retained common morphological characteristics of astroglia, and concurrently demonstrated its own distinctive features, specific only for a given cell type.
- Anti-GFAP staining revealed positive immunoreactivity of Alz I and Opl cells, and its absence in Alz II cells.
- The results of our study confirm the hypothesis of the astroglial origin of all three types of cells.
- The lack of immunoreactivity for GFAP and similar immunocytochemical staining patterns for MT in Alz II cells and protoplasmic astrocytes may suggest that Alz II cells originate from the protoplasmic type of astroglia.
- MT-positive expression by the three abnormal cell types suggests that they may be involved in the process of copper detoxification in WD.
Why it matters
This study examined abnormal astroglia cells in brain tissue from people with Wilson's disease, not Alzheimer disease. It describes the origin of these cells but provides no information about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 30/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, so that was left out: it earned 29 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 30 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Folia neuropathologica) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2001 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 45 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 27 year(s) since 2001 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 13 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jerzy Dymecki: h-index 14 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology: institution h-index 163 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11680638) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 29 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 29 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 30 out of 100. |
| Total | 30 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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