via Michigan Technological University
A virus attaches to a cell, picks the lock and enters, then takes control of genetic production and pumps out many versions of itself that explode out through the cell wall.
Get your popcorn. Engineers and virologists have a new way to watch viral infection go down.
The technique uses microfluidics — the submillimeter control of fluids within a precise, geometric structure. On what is basically a tricked-out microscope slide, chemical engineers from Michigan Technological University have been able to manipulate viruses in a microfluidic device using electric fields. The study, published this summer in Langmuir, looks at changes in the cell membrane and gives researchers a clearer idea of how antivirals work in a cell to stop the spread of infection.
Viral Infection Starts with the Capsid
Viruses carry around an outer shell of proteins called a capsid. The proteins act like a lockpick, attaching to and prying open a cell’s membrane. The virus then hijacks the cell’s inner workings, forcing it to mass produce the virus’s genetic material and construct many, many viral replicas. Much like popcorn kernels pushing away the lid of an overfilled pot, the new viruses explode through the cell wall. And the cycle continues with more virus lockpicks on the loose.
“When you look at traditional techniques — fluorescent labeling for different stages, imaging, checking viability — the point is to know when the membrane is compromised,” said Adrienne Minerick, study co-author, dean of the College of Computing and a professor of chemical engineering. “The problem is that these techniques are an indirect measure. Our tools look at charge distribution, so it’s heavily focused on what’s happening between the cell membrane and virus surface. We discovered with greater resolution when the virus actually goes into the cell.”
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