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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
10:56
Assays for the Degradation of Misfolded Proteins in Cells
Published on: August 28, 2016
Intracellular protein degradation in mammalian cells: recent developments
Erwin Knecht1, Carmen Aguado, Jaime Cárcel
1Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain. knecht@cipf.es
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS
|April 29, 2009
Summary
Organisms can lose nitrogen from intracellular protein breakdown, not just diet. This review summarizes the cellular machinery for protein degradation and its importance in health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Dietary proteins are broken down into amino acids extracellularly for cellular uptake.
- Nitrogen loss exceeding dietary assimilation indicates intracellular protein degradation.
- Research into this phenomenon has expanded significantly since the last century.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated summary of intracellular protein degradation.
- To review the proteolytic machinery involved.
- To discuss the physiological and pathological relevance of protein degradation, focusing on mammalian cells.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis.
- Focus on mammalian cellular systems.
- Comparative mentions of other cell types for context.
Main Results:
- Intracellular protein degradation is a significant biological process.
- A complex proteolytic machinery exists for this degradation.
- This process has broad physiological and pathological implications.
Conclusions:
- Understanding intracellular protein degradation is crucial.
- The field is vast, requiring focused reviews for newcomers.
- Mammalian cells serve as the primary model for this overview.
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