Models & Assays

Canine amyloid-Aβ (Aβ) protein is identical to the human protein and the pattern and quantity of isoforms is analogous to that seen in humans.

Endogenous Aβ is naturally deposited into plaques of the diffuse subtype in aged dogs, which are vulnerable to post translational modification and are fibrillar at the ultrastructural level – cerebral amyloid angiopathy is also found in aged dogs. The pattern of Aβ deposition parallels that seen in humans and occurs over a 3 to 4 year window permitting the examination of interventions that may slow or halt deposition.

Cognitive deficits are positively correlated with Aβ deposition in Beagles. Oligomeric forms of Aβ, may correlate with cognitive decline occurring prior to Aβ deposition.