Cellular accumulation of misfolded protein clumps may be a survival advantage rather than a liability, researchers find
Friday, October 5, 2012 - 08:30
in Health & Medicine
Most proteins have a single 'correct' way to fold; typically, improperly folded proteins are promptly eliminated by cells. However, certain misfolded proteins have a tendency to aggregate in dense fibrous clumps known as amyloid plaques. In humans, this accumulation is often a pathological feature, as observed in Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease.