Instant insight: think outside the cell

Proteins perform many different functions critical for life, from building our muscle structure to digesting our food. These large biological molecules each have a unique three-dimensional shape which they require to perform their function. In protein deposition diseases (PDDs), however, a disease-specific protein molecule unfolds from its normal shape and assembles together with like molecules into insoluble rod-shaped fibrils. These protein deposits can be found in the brain, skeletal tissue and various organs; in some cases they may become large enough to disrupt tissue structure and function.