Twisted ribbon structure of paired helical filaments revealed by atomic force microscopy

Progressive deposition of phosphorylated tau into the paired helical filaments (PHF) that compose neurofibrillary tangles, dystrophic neurites, and neuropil threads is an obligate feature of Alzheimer's disease. The standard model of PHF structure, derived from electron microscopic studies, suggests that two 8- to 10-nm filaments each composed of three to four protofilaments are wound into a helix with a maximal diameter of -20 nm and a half period of 65 to 80 nm. However, recent vertical platinum-carbon replicas of PHF more closely resemble a thin helical ribbon without constitutive protofilaments. Here we report that native PHF imaged with an atomic force microscope appear as twisted ribbons rather than the generally accepted structure derived from electron microscopic studies. These data imply that the assembly of PHF is not due to the twisting of pair-wise filaments but rather the helical winding of self-associated tau molecules arranged into a flattened structure. Future structural models of PHF should be based on quantitative data obtained from imaging techniques, such as scanning probe microscopy, which do not require harsh specimen preparation procedures.