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Not just amyloid: physiological functions of the amyloid precursor protein family
Müller UC, Deller T, Korte M.. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 2017-03-31
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) gives rise to the amyloid-β peptide and thus has a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. By contrast, the physiological functions of APP and the closely related APP-like proteins (APLPs) remain less well understood. Studying these physiological functions has been challenging and has required a careful long-term strategy, including the analysis of different App-knockout and Aplp-knockout mice.
Key findings
- By contrast, the physiological functions of APP and the closely related APP-like proteins (APLPs) remain less well understood.
- Studying these physiological functions has been challenging and has required a careful long-term strategy, including the analysis of different App-knockout and Aplp-knockout mice.
- In this Review, we summarize these findings, focusing on the in vivo roles of APP family members and their processing products for CNS development, synapse formation and function, brain injury and neuroprotection, as well as ageing.
- In addition, we discuss the implications of APP physiology for therapeutic approaches.
Why it matters
This review summarizes what is known about the normal physiological functions of APP and related proteins, based on studies of knockout mice. It highlights that APP has important roles beyond amyloid production, which matters for understanding the safety of treatments that target it.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nature reviews. Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature reviews. Neuroscience: journal h-index 572 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| 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 | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 642 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 58.4 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 192 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Martin Körte: h-index 62 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Heidelberg University: institution h-index 1,344 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28360418) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Müller, U. C., Deller, T., & Korte, M. (2017). Not just amyloid: physiological functions of the amyloid precursor protein family. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.29
Vancouver
Müller UC, Deller T, Korte M. Not just amyloid: physiological functions of the amyloid precursor protein family. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 2017. doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.29. PMID: 28360418.
BibTeX
@article{muller2017-28360418,
author = {Müller, U. C. and Deller, T. and Korte, M.},
title = {{Not just amyloid: physiological functions of the amyloid precursor protein family}},
journal = {Nature reviews. Neuroscience},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1038/nrn.2017.29},
pmid = {28360418},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.29}
}
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