Natural luminescence of corpora amylacea of prostate

Corpora amylacea (CA) (from the Latin meaning "starch-like bodies") is a general term for small

hyaline A hyaline substance is one with a glassy appearance. The word is derived from el, ὑάλινος, translit=hyálinos, lit=transparent, and el, ὕαλος, translit=hýalos, lit=crystal, glass, label=none. Histopathology Hyaline cartilage is ...

masses found in the

prostate gland The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and physi ...

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes ...

lung The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and most other animals, including some snails and a small number of fish. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of ...

, and sometimes in other organs of the body. Corpora amylacea increase in number and size with advancing age, although this increase varies from person to person. In the nervous system, they are particularly abundant in certain

neurodegenerative disease A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Such neuronal damage may ultimately involve cell death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophi ...

s. While their significance is largely unknown, some researchers have suggested that corpora amylacea play a role in the clearance of debris. The composition and appearance of corpora amylacea can differ in different organs. In the prostate gland, where they are also known as prostatic concretions, corpora amylacea are rich in aggregated

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...

that has many of the features of

amyloid Amyloids are aggregates of proteins characterised by a fibrillar morphology of 7–13 nm in diameter, a beta sheet (β-sheet) secondary structure (known as cross-β) and ability to be stained by particular dyes, such as Congo red. In the huma ...

, whereas those in the

central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all p ...

are generally smaller and do not contain amyloid. Corpora amylacea in the central nervous system occur in the foot processes of

astrocytes Astrocytes (from Ancient Greek , , "star" + , , "cavity", "cell"), also known collectively as astroglia, are characteristic star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. They perform many functions, including biochemical control of ...

, and they are usually present beneath the

pia mater Pia mater ( or ),Entry "pia mater"
in
ventricles, and around blood vessels. They have been proposed to be part of a family of

polyglucosan A glucan is a polysaccharide derived from D-glucose, linked by glycosidic bonds. Glucans are noted in two forms: alpha glucans and beta glucans. Many beta-glucans are medically important. They represent a drug target for antifungal medications of ...

diseases, in which polymers of glucose collect to form abnormal structures known as polyglucosan bodies. Polyglucosan bodies bearing at least partial resemblance to human corpora amylacea have been observed in various nonhuman species. Corpora amylacea in the brain

Also known as wasteosomes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corpora Amylacea Anatomy Prostate Brain