[...]... Experimental Faculty of Medicine Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela Faqi Li, MD, PhD Division of Cellular and Molecular Cerebral Ischemia Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit, MI Glaucia N M Hajj, PhD Ludwig Institute For Cancer Research, São Paulo Branch Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory São Paulo, SP, Brazil Kenneth Maiese, MD Division of Cellular and Molecular... Cancer Institute Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit, MI Christian Humpel, PhD Laboratory of Psychiatry & Exp Alzheimer’s Research Department of Psychiatry Innsbruck, Austria Takanori Matsui, PhD Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine Kurume, Japan... References Harris et al 1993; Sales et al 2002; Ford et al 2002a Immune cells Durig et al 2000; Kubosaki et al 2003 Lung Fournier et al 1998; Ford et al 2002b Muscles Kovacs et al 2004 Blood and bone marrow Mabbott, Turner 2005; Ford et al 2002b Stomach Fournier et al 1998; Ford et al 2002b Kidney Fournier et al 1998; Ford et al 2002b Spleen Fournier et al 1998; Ford et al 2002b (GPI) anchor (Prusiner 1998)... Kazuo Nakamura, MD, PhD Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine Kurume, Japan Xinghuai Sun, MD, PhD China-Australia Link Laboratory EENT Hospital, Fudan University China Mariana Kiomy Osako, MS Division of Clinical Gene Therapy & Department of Geriatric Medicine Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Suita, Japan Aurel Popa-Wagner, PhD Department... disease models provide tools for the development of new therapeutic approaches Several methods are now used to search for therapeutic compounds, including empirical analysis with screens based on the current knowledge of prion biology Research-based trials search for compounds that block PrPSc formation in several ways: by blocking its interaction with PrPC; changing its conformation and allowing its... physiological functions of PrPC are still the subject of intense debate CELLULAR PRION PROTEIN Prion research has evolved immensely in the last 10 years, and today the normal isoform of the infectious prion protein occupies a large part of this research The next section describes PrPC and the multiple cellular functions proposed for this protein, demonstrating how its loss of function could be prejudicial... depth in this chapter We will therefore focus on the history, symptoms, mechanisms of transmission and diagnosis of prion diseases, and currently proposed therapies There will also be a short discussion on the physiological roles of the normal isoform of the prion S Keywords: cellular prion protein, prion protein, physiological function, prion diseases, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, neurodegeneration... protein to the protease-resistant isoform would be accompanied by a loss of antioxidant activity, suggesting a mechanism for neurodegeneration in prion diseases Nevertheless, this is also controversial, since some studies were not able to detect PrPC SOD activity (Jones, Batchelor, Bhelt et al 2005) Therefore, although the binding of copper to PrPC appears to impart cellular resistance to oxidative stress,... PrPC and the Extracellular Matrix PrPC binds two extracellular matrix proteins, laminin and vitronectin, in addition to its interaction with glycosaminoglycans (Fig 1.3) Laminin is an extracellular heterotrimeric 800 kDa glycoprotein involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and death (Beck Hunter, Engel 1990) PrPC is a saturable and high-affinity, specific receptor for laminin This... phase of this disease The average incubation time of 5 years is associated with the risk of contaminated cattle being used for human consumption for a prolonged duration before the appearance of any clinical signs Other animal species can also be affected by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) Domestic cats and large captive felines have been found with transmissible feline encephalopathy . w0 h0" alt="" NEUROVASCULAR MEDICINE This page intentionally left blank Neurovascular Medicine Pursuing Cellular Longevity for Healthy Aging Kenneth Maiese, MD Division of Cellular and Molecular. degenerative disorders. With this objective, Neurovascular Medicine: Pursuing Cellular Longevity for Healthy Aging is intended to offer unique insights into the cellular and molecular pathways that. University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Neurovascular medicine: pursuing cellular longevity for healthy aging / [edited by] Kenneth Maiese. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical