Hirano bodies are eosinophilic, highly-refractile, rod-like structures (about 10 micrometers in thickness; Figure 1) adjacent to pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal formation in Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders. Hirano bodies often parallel the distribution of the Granulovacuolar bodies of Simchowicz.
1. Arrow indicates one of three Hirano bodies
Biochemical analysis has shown Hirano bodies to be composed of microfilament-associated proteins including actin, alpha-actinin, and vinculin.