aggregation

Abnormally folded proteins cause a number of illnesses such as the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) and Alzheimer’s.

It is still unknown why this misfolding occurs. The first stages of folding and the onset of the aggregation of the proteins, the so-called oligomerisation, appear to be decisive for pathogenesis.

The pathological mediators of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease are unknown. One hypothesis postulates that neurodegeneration results from proteolytic stress due to accumulation and aggregation of misfolded or overexpressed proteins.