Investigating the role of follicular dendritc cells in TSE agent neuroinvasion from lymphoid tissues

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The key objectives of the research described in this project are to determine the following: 1. Do follicular dendritc cells (FDCs) themselves actually express the cellular form of the prion protein, PrPc, or do they acquire it from other non-bone marrow-derived cells such as endothelial cells, muscle cells or neurons? 2. Do FDCs themselves replicate TSE agents, or do they accumulate them following replication by other cells? 3. Does efficient neuroinvasion by TSE agents require transmission from multiple lymphoid tissues, or can this occur from just the draining lymphoid tissue?

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