Multiphoton microscopy and amyloid angiopathy.

The underlying pathophysiological processes of amyloid angiopathy, have been difficult to study because the vessel size affected is too small for imaging in the human condition, and animal models have not yet been adequately developed or characterized. Herein we present characterization of animal models of overexpression of the human A beta PP gene, initially developed as models of Alzheimer disease, but which fortuitously also develop marked cerebral amyloid angiopathy We also present a novel form of microscopy that allows in vivo imaging of vessels affected by amyloid in the anesthetized, but intact, animal.