A prion /ˈpriːɒn/ is a misfolded protein that can induce misfolding of normal variants of the same protein and trigger cellular death. Prions cause prion diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) … See more

The word prion, coined in 1982 by Stanley B. Prusiner, is derived from protein and infection, hence prion, and is short for "proteinaceous infectious particle", in reference to its ability … See more

The first hypothesis that tried to explain how prions replicate in a protein-only manner was the heterodimer model. This model assumed … See more

Proteins showing prion-type behavior are also found in some fungi, which has been useful in helping to understand mammalian prions. See more

Structure
The major prion protein (PrP) that prions are made of is found throughout the body, even in healthy … See more

Prions cause neurodegenerative disease by aggregating extracellularly within the central nervous system to form plaques known as See more

There are no effective treatments for prion diseases. Clinical trials in humans have not met with success and have been hampered by the rarity of prion diseases. Although some … See more