A few excerpts from a 3-minute MOD animation that provides an insightful overview of amyloidosis, a group of rare and devastating progressive diseases caused by the accumulation of misfolded proteins. 

The most common form of systemic amyloidosis is amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis, which is caused by the misfolding of immunoglobulin light chains produced by abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow. These misfolded light chains aggregate, forming amyloid fibrils that accumulate in organs and tissues, leading to damage and dysfunction.

A crucial detail and task for us was to create an accurate depiction of the immunoglobulin light chain monomer, its conformational misfolding – and ultimately, its aggregation and assembly into amyloid fibrils – which accumulate into deposits and damage organs.

Given the significant impact on the heart (may lead to conditions such as cardiomyopathy in over 75% of patients), the focus of this animation is on illustrating the damage caused by amyloid deposits in cardiac tissue. While the heart is most commonly affected, amyloid fibrils can also accumulate in other organs such as the liver, wrists, hands, feet, tongue, and gastrointestinal tract.

By illustrating these key processes, this animation highlights the severe impact of amyloid deposits on the heart and other organs affected by AL amyloidosis.

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Tagged: AL amyloidosis, amyloid deposits, amyloid light chain, amyloidosis, cardiac, cardiac amyloidosis, cardiology, fibrils, heart, heart failure, heart health, hybrid medical, immunoglobulin light chains, light chain amyloidosis, medical animation, medical marketing, misfolded proteins, misfolding, myocardium, scientific animation, visual science