Biology / Unit 9 Bio 1905 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Viral Receptors and Host Specificity
Captions available
The idea
A virus attaches only to host cells bearing a matching surface receptor, which sets which species and cell types it can infect.
In practice
HIV binds the CD4 receptor on T lymphocytes; a cell lacking CD4 cannot be infected by that binding route.
Where people slip
A viral receptor is a normal host-cell molecule the virus exploits— the cell did not evolve it to admit viruses.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Biology