AIDS:Here are a couple of questions for the tutor:How does the HIV spread through the body to establish infection. What cells are involved in the spread? In particular, what cells allow the virus to...

Running head: MICROBES AND PATHOGENICITY
Microbes And Pathogenicity


1. How does the HIV spread through the body to establish infection? What cells are involved in
the spread?
Answer
This is a well known fact that HIV can spread throughout the body thus; may lead towards a
number of diseases too. HIV does not involve a single mechanism for the purpose but, a number
of pathways can be implemented via it to perform the task. For instance; virion may exhibit
movement between cells and tissues of the body via fluid-phase diffusion and consequently can
enter with the help of its surface glycoprotein(s) and target cell receptor’s interaction. On the
other hand, there could also be observed direct cell-cell viral spread which can be 100-1000
times faster in comparison to cell-free spread. Hence; cell-cell spread may be regarded a more
efficient procedure after all.
Cell-cell Spread mechanisms
1. Receptors Mediated cell-cell spread
Receptors for HIV might be observed on a number of cells for instance; CD-4 can be found on
TH cells, regulatory T cells, Monocytes, Macrophages and Dendritic cells. While, CXCR-4
receptor could be observed on T-Cells, B-cells, Neutrophils, and Eosinophils. In the same way,
CCR5 receptor may be seen in T cells, GALT, Macrophages, Dendritic cells and Microglial
cells.
Microbes And Pathogenicity


After infecting a cell (effector cell), virus may spread (trans-infection) to other cell (target cell)
via ‘virological synapse' which may be defined as an interface between HIV-1-infected and
uninfected cells. For example, between two T- cells or between dendritic cells and T cells. It has
been observed that microtubule cytoskeleton, lipid rafts and adhesion molecules may perform a
central role in context of HIV-1 virological synapse assembly. Besides, such cell-cell spread of
HIV-1 can also reflect resistance against antibodies.
For cell to cell spreading, fulfillment of few conditions is quite necessary as; conjugation
between effector cell and...