Alzheimer's disease (AD) precipitation in the elderly population increases the need for sensitive biomarkers that can be applied to large population screening. Buccal cells can be obtained easily, noninvasively, and contain many proteins related to cerebral processes. Hence, they offer an ideal candidate for AD biomarker discovery. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the current research landscape covering both clinical and methodological issues. A brief summary is given on related laboratory techniques to ascertain protein concentration changes due to AD. At the end, we describe a protocol designed in our laboratory for disease early diagnosis.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis; Buccal cells; Immunocytochemistry.