Fig. 9.

Model of Aβ peptide oligomerization and interference by Hsp70. Aβ peptides and Hsp70s are released from neurons, glial cells, and astrocytes into the extracellular environment. Aβ monomers are produced by enzymatic cleavage of the membrane-anchored amyloid β precursor protein APP. Once released, Aβ initiates a very rapid oligomerization process with the formation of dimers, trimers, and tetrameters, followed by the slow assembly of large molecular weight oligomers, which are the cytotoxic complexes, and fibers. Hsp70s interfere with the assembly of these large molecular weight oligomers resulting in reduced cytotoxicity