Prion proteins normally exist in the brain and blood, but infections forms called prion scrapie (PrPSc) can cause disease. PrPSc has a stable conformation that makes it highly resistant to destruction. While the normal function of prion proteins is unknown, infections forms are associated with neurodegeneration and symptoms like memory loss. Prion disease spreads slowly in the blood initially and then progresses rapidly in the brain once a threshold is reached.

1. Detecting Prion Protein Particles in Blood
Protein is a vital element for the molecules in our cells. Proteins are made from amino acids,
which are strung together with peptide blonds and then folded together into a 3D structure.
However, certain prion proteinparticlesfound in the blood are not beneficial are create an
infectious disease known as “Prion”. Prion disease is also known; as a pronteinaceous infectious
particle (PIP) and this type of blood infection was originated from animals, but was quickly
found in the human body, shortly thereafter. There are two different types of Prion, and one is
considered to be infections, while the other is generally harmless. pRp Cellular is the non-
infectious version of prion, and pRpScrapies is the infections version. This blood infection was
found in sheep, and left many confused about its exact function when the infections version first
came about.
All blood has some form of prion protein in it and detecting the difference between the infections
and normal particles can be difficult. However, the difference between the infections and non-
infectious versions of the prion particles is the way that the protein is created. Both types of
protein are made up of amino acids, but the conformation is different in normal protein particles,
which effects the properties of the protein cell dramatically.

2. The normal cellular prions that are found in the blood have an unknown function, but they are
normally expressed in brain tissues such as; the hippocampus, medulla, thalamus, cerebral cortex
and cerebellum neurons. There are a few hypotheses on what the function of the prion protein is
in the brain. Some believe that they help protect neurons against cell death, while others feel that
they help with synaptic function and the immune system. These are all in theory, because the
actual use has yet to be detected, but researches know that they do, in fact, play a vital role in the
brains functioning, yet they are unsure if they are required for human survival.
The infections version on prion particles in the blood is very difficult to destroy. It has a very
stable conformation and the normal methods for destroying prion particles have all failed against
this infections blood disease. When treated with radiation, strong chemicals, heat and proteases,
the particles did not break up at all. As these toxic prions remain in the blood, they play a large
role in Nero-degeneration, which cannot be reversed and will only get worse overtime. Those
who have destruction to their neurons from the pRp S version will experience side-effects such
as; memory loss, motor deficiencies and changes to their behavior. Prion disease is closely
related to the disease TSE, which is also characterized as creating a “spongy brain appearance”.
The way that infections prion particles spread through the blood and into the brain is unknown
by researchers. It is thought that a “misfold” may occur during the creation of a normal healthy
prion particle, which creates the infections particles that run through the body in the same
manner as the non-infections particles. Prion disease starts off very slow in the blood, but once it
has reached peak levels it creates symptoms quickly and will spread rapidly through the brain.

3. Protein is a vital element for the molecules in our cells. Prion disease starts off very slow in the
blood, but once it has reached peak levels it creates symptoms quickly and will spread rapidly
through the brain.