Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

10:56
Assays for the Degradation of Misfolded Proteins in Cells
Published on: August 28, 2016
12.7K
Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein Quality Control Failure in Myelin Disorders
Vera G Volpi1, Thierry Touvier1, Maurizio D'Antonio1
1Biology of Myelin Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, DIBIT Milan, Italy.
Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
|January 20, 2017
Summary
Proper protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is vital for cell function. ER quality control (ERQC) systems maintain protein homeostasis, and their failure is linked to myelin disorders.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Protein folding and maturation occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
- The ER-protein quality control (ERQC) system ensures protein homeostasis by assisting folding and degrading misfolded proteins.
- The unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated by ER stress and can lead to cell death if unresolved.
Conclusions:
- Proper ERQC function is critical for preventing myelin disorders.
- ER stress and UPR play significant roles in the pathogenesis of these neurological conditions.
- Understanding ERQC mechanisms offers insights into potential therapeutic strategies for myelin diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Folding Quality Check in the RER
5.4K
ER is the primary site for the maturation and folding of soluble and transmembrane secretory proteins. The calnexin cycle is a specific chaperone system that folds and assesses the confirmation of N-glycosylated proteins before they can exit the ER lumen. The primary players of this quality check pipeline are the lectins, ER-resident chaperones, and a glucosyl transferase enzyme. In case the calnexin system in the lumen fails to salvage a misfolded protein, it is transported to the cytoplasm...
5.4K
Export of Misfolded Proteins out of the ER
5.4K
After folding, the ER assesses the quality of secretory and membrane proteins. The correctly folded proteins are cleared by the calnexin cycle for transport to their final destination, while misfolded proteins are held back in the ER lumen. The ER chaperones attempt to unfold and refold the misfolded proteins but sometimes fail to achieve the correct native conformation. Such terminally misfolded proteins are then exported to the cytosol by ER-associated degradation or ERAD pathway for...
5.4K
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
8.6K
Smooth endoplasmic reticulum or smooth ER is a sub-organelle with specialized functions in animal cells and plant cells. It is often associated with the tubule morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum.
The ER provides optimal conditions for synthesizing steroid hormones and lipids, such as phospholipids and triglycerides. Traditionally, lipid metabolism was considered to be a smooth ER function. However, there is no direct evidence to prove that rough ER is completely excluded from lipid...
The ER provides optimal conditions for synthesizing steroid hormones and lipids, such as phospholipids and triglycerides. Traditionally, lipid metabolism was considered to be a smooth ER function. However, there is no direct evidence to prove that rough ER is completely excluded from lipid...
8.6K
Nervous Tissue: Myelin
7.0K
The myelin sheath is a multilayered lipid and protein covering that insulates the axon of a neuron, enhancing the speed of nerve impulse conduction. Axons without this sheath are referred to as unmyelinated. Two types of neuroglia, Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) are responsible for producing myelin sheaths.
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
7.0K
Protein Modifications in the RER
7.3K
Modification of secretory and transmembrane proteins entering the rough ER begins in the ER lumen. These modifications aid in protein folding and stabilize the acquired tertiary structure. Protein modifications in the rough ER co-occur at different stages of protein folding.
Broadly, these modifications can be categorized into four main categories — glycosylation, formation of disulfide bonds, assembly of protein subunits, and specific proteolytic cleavages like removal of signal...
Broadly, these modifications can be categorized into four main categories — glycosylation, formation of disulfide bonds, assembly of protein subunits, and specific proteolytic cleavages like removal of signal...
7.3K
Amyloid Fibrils
12.4K
Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins. Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called fibrils.
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
12.4K

