The cellular prion protein binds copper in vivo

D R Brown1, K Qin, J W Herms

  • 1Department of Neuropathology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.

Nature
|December 31, 1997
PubMed
Summary

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) binds copper (Cu(II)) in the brain. PrPC gene-ablated mice show reduced copper levels and altered cellular functions, indicating PrPC acts as a copper-binding protein in vivo.

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