Prions alone do not appear to interact and convert PrPC
to PrPSc.
PrPC and PrPSc interact within
special cellular compartments after internalization.
At this point the proteins probably bind together in
conjunction with a third uncharacterized protein (Protein X; not shown in the
figure) and the structure of PrPSc is imprinted onto PrPC.
The PrPSc
27-30 found in amyloid plaques is partially cleaved, leaving the protease-resistant
internal core of PrPSc
to form plaques (not always present in TSE).