Prions influence the smell

2009/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika

Researchers at the University of Columbia have found that prions influence the olfactory system. Prions are not essential in smell, but they have been shown to strictly maintain the capacities of this sense.

During a study with mice by electrophysiologist Stuart Firestein and his team, large amounts of prions were found in his olfactory system. With the aim of clarifying their function, some mice were genetically treated to avoid having prions. Thus, they saw that common mice found food faster than those without prions, and these did not separate odors.

It is known that the prion, denatured, is the cause of the disease of mad cows and other neurodegenerative diseases. But this research has clarified that it can be important for the survival of animals in a folded and spontaneous way.