Πως φαίνεται ο κορωνοϊός από το ηλεκτρονικό μικροσκόπιο. A Close-up of COVID-19 in Lung Cells

This colorized scanning electron microscope (SEM) image shows SARS-CoV-2-infected human lung cells (purple) covered in hair-like cilia (blue). Those cilia line the inner surface of the airways and help to clear mucus (yellow-green) containing dust and other debris from the lungs. Emerging from the surface of those infected airway cells are many thousands of coronavirus particles (red). Credit: Ehre Lab, UNC School of Medicine

Η εικόνα είναι από ηλεκτρονικό μικροσκόπιο σάρωσης (SEM) και χρωματίστηκε εκ των υστέρων. Δείχνει κύτταρα των πνευμόνων (μωβ) καλυμμένα από βλεφαρίδες (μπλε). Οι βλεφαρίδες που μοιάζουν με τριχίδια βοηθούν στον καθαρισμό της βλέννας (κιτρινοπράσινο) που περιέχει σκόνη και άλλα σωματίδια από τους πνεύμονες. Χιλιάδες ιοί SARS-CoV-2 (κόκκινο) αναδύονται από την επιφάνεια αυτών των μολυσμένων πνευμονικών κυττάρων-αεραγωγών.

In a laboratory setting, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was inoculated into human bronchial epithelial cells. This inoculation, which was performed in a biosafety level 3 facility, had a multiplicity of infection (indicating the ratio of virus particles to targeted airway cells) of 3:1. These cells were then examined 96 hours after infection with the use of scanning electron microscopy. An en face image (Panel A) shows an infected ciliated cell with strands of mucus attached to the cilia tips. At higher magnification, an image (Panel B) shows the structure and density of SARS-CoV-2 virions produced by human airway epithelial cells. Virus production was approximately 3×106 plaque-forming units per culture, a finding that is consistent with a high number of virions produced and released per cell. Credit: Ehre Lab, UNC School of Medicine Αυτή η εικόνα, δημοσιεύθηκε ασπρόμαυρη πρόσφατα από την Camille Ehre, στο περιοδικό New England Journal of Medicine. Πηγές: SARS-CoV-2 infection of airway cells - https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/12/17/a-close-up-of-covid-19-in-lung-cells/ - https://physicsgg.me/2020/12/21