Corpora amylacea (CA) (from the Latin meaning "starch-like bodies") is a general term for small
hyaline masses found in the
prostate gland,[1]nervous system,[2]lung,[1] and sometimes in other organs of the body.[3] Corpora amylacea increase in number and size with advancing age,[3][4] although this increase varies from person to person.[3] In the nervous system, they are particularly abundant in certain
neurodegenerative diseases.[2] While their significance is largely unknown, some researchers have suggested that corpora amylacea play a role in the clearance of debris.[1][3]
The composition and appearance of corpora amylacea can differ in different organs.[3] In the prostate gland, where they are also known as prostatic concretions, corpora amylacea are rich in aggregated
protein that has many of the features of
amyloid, whereas those in the
central nervous system are generally smaller and do not contain amyloid.[3] Corpora amylacea in the central nervous system occur in the foot processes of
astrocytes, and they are usually present beneath the
pia mater, in the tissues surrounding the
ventricles, and around blood vessels.[2] They have been proposed to be part of a family of
polyglucosan diseases, in which polymers of glucose collect to form abnormal structures known as
polyglucosan bodies.[3] Polyglucosan bodies bearing at least partial resemblance to human corpora amylacea have been observed in various nonhuman species.[3]
References
^
abcRöcken C, Linke RP, Saeger W (October 1996). "Corpora amylacea in the lung, prostate and uterus. A comparative and immunohistochemical study". Pathology, Research and Practice. 192 (10): 998–1006.
doi:
10.1016/S0344-0338(96)80041-0.
PMID8958549.