Tissue tropism

Definition

Tissue tropism is the specificity of a virus for a particular host tissue, determined by the interaction between viral surface proteins and host cell receptors. This determines which tissues or cell types a virus can infect.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Tissue tropism is influenced by the presence of specific receptors on host cells that match viral surface proteins.
2. A change in tissue tropism can occur due to mutations in the viral genome.
3. Tissue tropism plays a crucial role in determining the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes of viral infections.
4. Viruses with broad tissue tropism can infect multiple types of tissues, leading to more severe diseases.
5. Tissue tropism is a key factor in the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Review Questions

• What determines the tissue tropism of a virus?
• How can mutations affect tissue tropism?
• Why is understanding tissue tropism important for developing treatments?

Related terms

Host Cell Receptors: Specific molecules on host cells that viruses bind to initiate infection.

Viral Pathogenesis: The process by which a viral infection leads to disease.

Antiviral Drugs: Medications used to treat viral infections by inhibiting virus replication or function.