Detecting Prion Protein Particles in Blood

Protein is a vital element for the molecules in our cells. Proteins are made from amino acids, which are strung together with peptide blonds and then folded together into a 3D structure. However, certain prion proteinparticlesfound in the blood are not beneficial are create an infectious disease known as Prion. Prion disease is also known; as a pronteinaceous infectious particle (PIP) and this type of blood infection was originated from animals, but was quickly found in the human body, shortly thereafter. There are two different types of Prion, and one is considered to be infections, while the other is generally harmless. pRp Cellular is the noninfectious version of prion, and pRpScrapies is the infections version. This blood infection was found in sheep, and left many confused about its exact function when the infections version first came about.

All blood has some form of prion protein in it and detecting the difference between the infections and normal particles can be difficult. However, the difference between the infections and noninfectious versions of the prion particles is the way that the protein is created. Both types of protein are made up of amino acids, but the conformation is different in normal protein particles, which effects the properties of the protein cell dramatically.

The normal cellular prions that are found in the blood have an unknown function, but they are normally expressed in brain tissues such as; the hippocampus, medulla, thalamus, cerebral cortex and cerebellum neurons. There are a few hypotheses on what the function of the prion protein is in the brain. Some believe that they help protect neurons against cell death, while others feel that they help with synaptic function and the immune system. These are all in theory, because the actual use has yet to be detected, but researches know that they do, in fact, play a vital role in the brains functioning, yet they are unsure if they are required for human survival.

The infections version on prion particles in the blood is very difficult to destroy. It has a very stable conformation and the normal methods for destroying prion particles have all failed against this infections blood disease. When treated with radiation, strong chemicals, heat and proteases, the particles did not break up at all. As these toxic prions remain in the blood, they play a large role in Nero-degeneration, which cannot be reversed and will only get worse overtime. Those who have destruction to their neurons from the pRp S version will experience side-effects such as; memory loss, motor deficiencies and changes to their behavior. Prion disease is closely related to the disease TSE, which is also characterized as creating a spongy brain appearance.

The way that infections prion particles spread through the blood and into the brain is unknown by researchers. It is thought that a misfold may occur during the creation of a normal healthy prion particle, which creates the infections particles that run through the body in the same manner as the non-infections particles. Prion disease starts off very slow in the blood, but once it has reached peak levels it creates symptoms quickly and will spread rapidly through the brain.

Protein is a vital element for the molecules in our cells. Prion disease starts off very slow in the blood, but once it has reached peak levels it creates symptoms quickly and will spread rapidly through the brain.