Pathways to the discovery of the Abeta amyloid of Alzheimer's disease.

Many participants played a role in discovering the composition and sequence of the Abeta amyloid of Alzheimer's disease. This sequence enabled the cloning of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), which elucidated its proteolytic origin from the membrane of neurons. The proteolytic enzymes which process APP and the Abeta fragment itself are now the prime validated drug targets for therapeutic intervention.