This is so amazingly geeky! The below graphic is the crystal structure for Alzheimer’s disease related Amyloid Precursor Protein.

The image gained by means of X-ray diffraction contains eight chains of the APP copper binding domain. Four chains are used for the elephant picture.

Via its copper binding domain Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) can modulate copper transport. Cu-binding presumably leads to a reduction of Aβ levels which is a key player in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore copper could have therapeutic effects on Alzheimer’s patients.

More by Maja Klevanski.