At the cellular level, what causes HIV immunity?

1.02K views

At the cellular level, what causes HIV immunity?

In: Biology

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The virus binds to the cellular wall of a white blood cell and reprograms the cell to produce more of the virus instead of more white blood cells.

TLDR; The life cycle of the male angler fish.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Immunity of HIV infection is thought to be tied to a receptor (or lack of). HIV wants to find our helper T cells. Our helper T cells have 2 receptors on the membrane that HIV must occupy to enter the cell. If a receptor is damaged or missing, then the virus cannot enter. Both keys are required to open the lock. Some people are naturally born with one of these receptors missing, damaged, or in a different spot. It allows the cell to function normally, but stops the virus from being able to enter. If the virus cannot enter this cell, it cannot reproduce its viral components and therefore cannot infect new cells. Now, there is a bit of debate as to what happens if HIV finds a Helper T it cannot access. Does it detach and try again? If so, does it just float around the body until it gets stuck somewhere harmless or flushed out? Does it attach, fail to enter, and then just get stuck to this cell until the cell dies? Interesting ideas out there about it all.