Amyloid-beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ42) plays a key role in the neurotoxicity found in Alzheimer's disease. Mononuclear phagocytes in the brain (microglia), can potentially clear Aβ via phagocytosis. Recently, the shuttling-protein nucleolin has been shown to possess scavenger receptor-activity. Here, we investigated whether this receptor interacts specifically with Aβ type 1-42 and mediates its phagocytosis by microglia. While monomeric and fibril Aβ42 were phagocytosed by mouse microglial EOC2 cells, amyloid β peptide 1-40 (Aβ40) was only weakly phagocytosed. Surface plasmon-resonance analysis revealed that nucleolin strongly associates with Aβ42, but only weakly associates with Aβ40. Immunofluorescence staining of antinucleolin antibody revealed that EOC2 cells and rat primary microglia express nucleolin on their cell surfaces. Further, pretreating EOC2 cells with anti-nucleolin antibody, but not immunoglobulin G (IgG), inhibited phagocytosis of monomeric Aβ42 by microglia. Additionally, nucleolin-transfected HEK293 cells phagocytosed monomeric and fibril Aβ42 but not monomeric and fibril Aβ40. Moreover, AGRO, a nucleolin-specific oligonucleotide aptamer, inhibited phagocytosis of monomeric and fibril Aβ42, but not monomeric and fibril Aβ40. These results indicate that nucleolin is a receptor that allows microglia to recognize monomeric and fibril Aβ42.