Effects of aluminium chloride on cultured cells from rat brain hemispheres.

Neurofilamentous tangles have been induced by aluminium chloride in rat brain neurons cultivated on astroglial feeder layers. Monoclonal antibodies to neurofilaments were found to stain these aluminium-induced tangles. Immunostaining of these structures with anti-paired helical filament serum was always negative, though good staining of neuronal perikarya was achieved. This observation supports the hypothesis that aluminium-induced tangles are made up of neurofilament proteins. These tangles appear to be distinct immunochemically from Alzheimer-paired helical filaments.