Viral entry mechanisms

Viral entry mechanisms describe how viruses infect cells. They attach to specific receptors on a cell's surface using their surface proteins. Once attached, viruses can enter the cell through different methods: some fuse their envelope with the cell membrane, releasing their genetic material inside, while others are engulfed through a process called endocytosis, where the cell wraps around the virus and pulls it in. These steps allow the virus to access the cell's interior, where it can hijack the cell's machinery to replicate and produce more viruses.