摘要
The prion protein（Pr P）,through misfolding,is widely known for its causative role in prion diseases,which are transmissible neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals.There is still no defined function assigned to Pr P,especially in the central nervous system,despite many studies in this area.Proposed functions are protean and include signal transduction,neuroprotection,neurogenesis,neuritogenesis,metal-ion homeostasis,memory formation and consolidation,as well as circadian rhythms（Nicolas et al.,2009）.
The prion protein（Pr P）,through misfolding,is widely known for its causative role in prion diseases,which are transmissible neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals.There is still no defined function assigned to Pr P,especially in the central nervous system,despite many studies in this area.Proposed functions are protean and include signal transduction,neuroprotection,neurogenesis,neuritogenesis,metal-ion homeostasis,memory formation and consolidation,as well as circadian rhythms（Nicolas et al.,2009）.
