HIV virus has a paicularly high affinity for which of the following?
High-Yield Explanation
HIV has a paicular tendency to bind to CD4 T lymphocytes (helper T lymphocytes) and monocytes and then become internalized. Most other cells, include CD8 T lymphocytes (suppressor T cells) and B cells, are not paicularly susceptible to the HIV virus. HIV preferentially infects and kills helper (CD4) T lymphocytes, resulting in the loss of cell-mediated immunity and a high probability that the host will develop oppounistic infections. Other cells (e.g., macrophages and monocytes) that have CD4 proteins on their surfaces can be infected also. Also know: The genome of HIV consists of two identical molecules of single-stranded, positive-polarity RNA and is said to be diploid. In addition to the three typical retroviral genes gag, pol, and env, which encode the structural proteins, the genome RNA has six regulatory genes. Two of these regulatory genes, tat and rev, are required for replication, and the other four, nef, vif, vpr, and vpu, are not required for replication and are termed "accessory" genes. Ref: Levinson W. (2012). Chapter 45. Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In W. Levinson (Ed), Review of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, 12e.