Prion Study Reveals How Disease Spreads from Gut to Brain (IMAGE)

University of Edinburgh

Prion Study Reveals How Disease Spreads from Gut to Brain

Caption

This magnified image of the small intestine shows specialized structures called Peyer's patches -- which are part of the body's immune system. Researchers have shown how deadly proteins called prions -- which cause variant CJD in people and BSE in cows -- invade the body through Peyer's patches before infecting the brain.

Credit

Prof Neil Mabbott & Dr David Donaldson, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh

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