Nerve cell protein metabolism and degenerative disease.

The mechanisms and organelles through which control of protein synthesis within healthy nerve cells is governed are discussed, and the ways in which expression of these biochemical pathways can be related to cell morphology are described. The volumes of the nucleus and nucleolus, and the amount of RNA within the cell body, are all interrelated and seem to be set at genetically predetermined levels which normally match the neurones basal needs for replacement proteins in respect of the size of its' projection field. However, in situations of (induced) hyperactivity or cell damage, or in others where disease may lower nerve cell activity, the protein requirements change, and it is noted that these morphological features also alter in a direction appropriate to the need for greater or lesser amounts of protein. How these alterations in protein synthesis can provide information as to both the basic pathology, or even the pathogenesis, of degenerative disease of the nervous system is illustrated by reference to Alzheimer's disease and motor neurone disease.