3D imaging of protein aggregates in human neurodegeneration by multiscale X-ray phase-contrast tomography

Abstract

This study leverages X-ray phase-contrast tomography (XPCT) for detailed analysis of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, focusing on the 3D visualization and quantification of neuropathological features within fixed human postmortem tissue. XPCT, utilizing synchrotron radiation, offers micrometer resolution, enabling the examination of intraneuronal aggregates-Lewy bodies, granulovacuolar degeneration, Hirano bodies, and neurofibrillary tangles-and extracellular amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy in the fixed human tissue. This approach surpasses aspects of traditional histology, integrating with neuropathology workflows for the identification and high-resolution study of these features. It facilitates correlative studies and quantitative electron density assessments, providing insights into the structural composition and distribution of neurodegenerative pathologies.