Causes of Mad Cow disease
Mad cow disease also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is a fatal disease that affects the central
nervous system of adult cattle. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is the infectious agent which is believed to be a prion which is a specific type of a misfolded protein. The prion is the agent that causes the deterioration of the brain which is transfered from organism to organism mainly through consumtion.
Once the prion reaches the brain it causes a chain reeaction affecting all other prions of the brain. The tainted prion causes the other prions to deform into the infectios state which causes the formation of protien aggregates. This eventualy leads to the formation of a dense plaque fibers on the brain which ultimatly leads to the deterioration of the Brain. There a are a few other hypothosis for the formation of these prions in the cows but this is the leading theory
One other major theory is that Mad Cow disease is caused by a genetic mutation within a gene called the prion protein gene. There is some evidence that makes this theory reputible such as the comparison of animals that had this gene mutation.
nervous system of adult cattle. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is the infectious agent which is believed to be a prion which is a specific type of a misfolded protein. The prion is the agent that causes the deterioration of the brain which is transfered from organism to organism mainly through consumtion.
Once the prion reaches the brain it causes a chain reeaction affecting all other prions of the brain. The tainted prion causes the other prions to deform into the infectios state which causes the formation of protien aggregates. This eventualy leads to the formation of a dense plaque fibers on the brain which ultimatly leads to the deterioration of the Brain. There a are a few other hypothosis for the formation of these prions in the cows but this is the leading theory
One other major theory is that Mad Cow disease is caused by a genetic mutation within a gene called the prion protein gene. There is some evidence that makes this theory reputible such as the comparison of animals that had this gene mutation.
