Prions: Molecular and Cellular Mechanism of Pathogenesis

Prion diseases are very hazardous neurodegenerative syndromes occurring in both animals and humans with an exceptional interest in scientific research due to their novel mechanisms of infection, transmission and enormous impact on human public health. These diseases are due to structural conformational changes of a normal prion protein into an infectious isoform. The disorders characterized by an extended incubation period, small clinical period, and transmissibility to vulnerable species. Neuronal loss, spongiform changes, and the accumulation in the brain of the misfolded cellular prion protein PrPc are investigative indicators of these diseases. This review is designated to unveil the current understanding of the action mechanism of prion leading to disease pathogenesis at the cellular level in the various conditions. Through this, I will be able to identify the different controversies, informational deficiencies and the difference of opinions in the current literature and then finally give my point of view on the subject.