Príónar

Príónar are infectious proteins that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. Unlike viruses or bacteria, príónar do not contain genetic material like DNA or RNA. Instead, they are misfolded versions of normal cellular proteins. When a príón encounters a normally folded protein, it can induce the normal protein to also misfold, creating a chain reaction.

These misfolded proteins tend to aggregate in the brain, forming plaques and damaging nerve cells. This damage leads to a range of severe and fatal neurological disorders collectively known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Examples of these diseases in humans include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), fatal familial insomnia (FFI), and kuru. In animals, TSEs include scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or "mad cow disease") in cattle, and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk.

Príón diseases are unique in their mode of transmission. They can be transmitted through ingestion of contaminated tissue, medical procedures involving contaminated instruments (like surgery or organ transplantation), or, in some cases, through inherited genetic mutations. There is no known cure for príón diseases, and they are invariably fatal. Research is ongoing to understand príón biology and to develop potential treatments or preventative measures.