Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Isolation of Soluble and Insoluble PrP Oligomers in the Normal Human Brain
Published on: October 3, 2012
Human cellular prion protein hPrPC is sorted to the apical membrane of epithelial cells
B De Keukeleire1, S Donadio, J Micoud
1CEA Grenoble, UMR 5249, CEA/CNRS/Université Joseph Fourrier, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
Abstract:
Propagation of the scrapie isoform of the prion protein (PrP(Sc)) depends on the expression of endogenous cellular prion (PrP(C)). During oral infection, PrP(Sc) propagates, by conversion of the PrP(C) to PrP(Sc), from the gastrointestinal tract to the nervous system. Intestinal epithelium could serve as the primary site for PrP(C) conversion. To investigate PrP(C) sorting in epithelia cells, we have generated both a green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or hemagglutinin (HA) tagged human PrP(C) (hPrP(C)). Combined molecular, biochemical, and single living polarized cell imaging characterizations suggest that hPrP(C) is selectively targeted to the apical side of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCKII) and of intestinal epithelia (Caco2) cells.
Related Concept Videos
Export of Misfolded Proteins out of the ER
ER Retrieval Pathway
The ER uses many checkpoints to prevent the entry of incorrectly folded or a resident protein as cargo onto a transport vesicle. These mechanisms...
Nuclear Protein Sorting
Proteins targeted to the nucleus carry nuclear localization signals or NLS recognized by import receptors in the cytosol. Similarly, proteins with nuclear export signals are recognized by export receptors. Import and export receptors are...
Overview of Protein Sorting and Transport
Protein sorting can be of two types: signal-based sorting and vesicle-based trafficking. In signal-based sorting, specific amino acid sequences called sorting signals target proteins to the proper location inside the cell either via gated transport or by protein translocation. In gated transport, folded...
Post-translational Translocation of Proteins to the RER
Targeting proteins to the ER
Hsp40 and Hsp70 chaperone molecules bind the translated proteins in the cytosol to prevent their folding. The chaperone binding helps to keep the signal...
Role of ER in the Secretory Pathway
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...

