Albumin,an abundant plasma protein with multifunctional properties,is mainly synthesized in the liver.Albumin has been implicated in Alzheimers disease (AD) since it can bind to and transport amyloid beta (Aβ),the causative agent of AD; albumin is also a potent inhibitor of Aβ polymerization.Despite evidence of non-hepatic transcription of albumin in many tissues including kidney and pancreas,non-hepatic synthesis of albumin at the protein level has been rarely confirmed.In a pilot phase study of Human Brain Proteome Project,we found evidence that mieroglial cells in brain may synthesize albumin.This report describes experiments designed to confirm de novo synthesis of albumin in microglial cells and its potential role in relation to AD.