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Prions definitions

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  • Prion
    A misfolded, proteinaceous infectious agent lacking nucleic acids, capable of inducing abnormal folding in normal proteins.
  • Obligate Intracellular Parasite
    An entity that requires entry into a host cell to replicate or propagate, unable to survive independently.
  • Acellular
    Lacking cellular structure, not composed of cells, distinguishing it from living organisms like bacteria.
  • Neurodegenerative Disease
    A disorder marked by progressive loss of neuron function, often resulting in brain tissue deterioration.
  • Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy
    A group of diseases causing sponge-like holes in brain tissue, leading to neurological decline.
  • Prion Protein Scrapie (PrPSc)
    A misfolded, disease-associated protein form that can convert normal proteins into its abnormal structure.
  • Prion Protein Cellular (PrPC)
    A normal, functional protein found in neurons, susceptible to conversion into a disease-causing form.
  • Aggregation
    The clumping together of misfolded proteins within neural tissue, often leading to cellular dysfunction.
  • Spongiform Lesion
    A hole or gap in brain tissue, giving it a sponge-like appearance, characteristic of prion diseases.
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
    A fatal human disorder caused by prions, characterized by rapid neurodegeneration and brain tissue damage.
  • Kuru
    A rare, fatal neurodegenerative disease in humans, historically linked to ritualistic practices.
  • Scrapie
    A prion-induced neurodegenerative disease affecting sheep and goats, marked by brain lesions.
  • Mad Cow Disease
    A prion-caused disorder in cattle, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, leading to brain degeneration.
  • Chronic Wasting Disease
    A prion disease affecting deer and elk, resulting in weight loss, behavioral changes, and brain lesions.
  • Neuron
    A specialized cell of the nervous system, serving as the primary site for prion accumulation and damage.