The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. Life Sciences
  3. Cells, Microbes & Viruses
  4. How can prions be transmitted via ingestion or inhalation?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Down

How can prions be transmitted via ingestion or inhalation?

  • 1 Replies
  • 3511 Views
  • 0 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline scientizscht (OP)

  • Naked Science Forum King!
  • ******
  • 1006
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 3 times
  • Naked Science Forum
How can prions be transmitted via ingestion or inhalation?
« on: 15/06/2019 23:33:28 »
Prions are proteins and it seems not very small ones.

How do they transmit through ingestion and inhalation and how do they cross the blood brain barrier?
Logged
 



Offline evan_au

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11035
  • Activity:
    9%
  • Thanked: 1486 times
Re: How can prions be transmitted via ingestion or inhalation?
« Reply #1 on: 16/06/2019 00:21:13 »
I have heard of prions being infectious via the digestive system.
- I can imagine that they could bypass the digestive system if they get in via a blood transfusion, during surgery or even a cut in the skin
- I have heard suggestions that prions may be transmitted via optometrists eye-pressure measuring instruments, since there have been traces of prions discovered in the tears of infected individuals, and perhaps they could infect the nerves of the cornea.
- But inhalation seems unlikely, unless the prions were aerosolised (eg in an abattoir); but there have been experiments done on this route...

Your digestive system is very good at breaking down proteins into their constituent amino acids.
- However, prions are not individual proteins, but a polymer of misfolded protein, forming long strings or tangles which would make it difficult for digestive enzymes to attack.
- Presumably, ulcers or other breaks in the stomach lining could allow them into the nervous system or bloodstream.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prion#Transmission
Logged
 



  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags:
 
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
  • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
    Privacy Policy
    SMFAds for Free Forums
  • Naked Science Forum ©

Page created in 0.328 seconds with 27 queries.

  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Get Naked
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • We love feedback

Follow us

cambridge_logo_footer.png

©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.