Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy

Amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by abnormal deposition and accumulation of protein in the tissue of the body. Amyloid deposits are primarily made up of protein fibres known as amyloid fibrils.

These amyloid fibrils are formed when normally soluble body protein aggregate and then remain in the tissues instead of safely going away. About 30 different proteins are known to form amyloid deposits in human. These amyloid forming ("amyloidogenic ") protein are known as "precursor proteins."

Amyloid deposits cause disease by gradually accumulating within organs and thereby disrupting the structure and damaging the function of the effected tissues.