title: A two population model of prion transport through a tunnelling nanotube.
abstract: This article develops a two prion population model that simulates prion trafficking between an infected dendritic cell and a neuron. The situation when the two cells are connected by a tunnelling nanotube (TNT) is simulated. Two mechanisms of prion transport are considered: lateral diffusion in the TNT membrane and active actin-dependent transport inside endocytic vesicles that are propelled by myosin Va molecular motors. Analytical solutions describing prion concentrations and fluxes are obtained. Numerical results are compared with those predicted by a single prion population model that relies on a single reaction-diffusion equation and accounts for the two modes of prion transport in an effective way.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Engineering , Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , MD 21218-2694 , USA.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Kuznetsov
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kuznetsov
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry; D001692:Biological Transport; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004058:Diffusion; D004705:Endocytosis; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000378:metabolism; D024701:Myosin Type V / Q000378:metabolism; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D016011:Normal Distribution; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry*; D021381:Protein Transport; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D011328:Prions; C077511:MYO5A protein, human; D024701:Myosin Type V; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains
keywords: membrane nanotubes; modelling; molecular motors; prions; traffic