Prion Disease

Front

What are prion diseases?

Back

Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded prion proteins, leading to brain damage and severe neurological symptoms.

Front

Why are prion diseases considered dangerous in laboratory settings?

Back

They are dangerous to work with in the lab because they can infect researchers who are exposed to them.

Front

True or False: Prion proteins are only found in individuals with prion diseases.

Back

False. Prion proteins can exist in healthy individuals as well.

Front

What is the significance of misfolded prion proteins?

Back

Misfolded prion proteins are toxic because they can aggregate and disrupt normal cellular functions, leading to neurodegeneration.

Front

What does PrP^C stand for?

Back

PrP^C stands for cellular prion protein, which is the normal form of the prion protein.

Front

What is PrP^Sc?

Back

PrP^Sc is the misfolded, pathogenic form of the prion protein that causes prion diseases.

Front

What is synaptotoxicity?

Back

Synaptotoxicity refers to the toxic effects of substances, such as misfolded prion proteins, on synapses, impairing neuronal communication.

Front

What is the main goal of the neuronal culture system developed by Fang et al (2016)?

Back

To detect synaptotoxicity caused by PrP^Sc in a controlled in vitro environment.

Front

What is one major advantage of using an in vitro neuronal culture system?

Back

It provides a simplified, controlled model to study prion synaptotoxicity mechanisms.

Front

How do prion diseases propagate?

Back

Prion diseases propagate through the conversion of normal prion proteins (PrP^C) into the misfolded form (PrP^Sc), leading to a chain reaction.