prion protein

Prion proteins are naturally occurring proteins found in the brain and other tissues. Normally, they exist in a healthy, correctly folded form that helps with cell functions. However, in certain conditions, these proteins can misfold into an abnormal shape that is resistant to breaking down. These misfolded prions can aggregate and cause damage by inducing other normal prion proteins to also misfold. This process leads to brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Prions are unique because they are infectious proteins without genetic material, and they spread through contaminated tissue or products.