Medycyna Wet. 67 (7), 474-477, 2011
Boratyńska A., Martyniszyn L., Szulc L., Niemiałtowski M.
Membrane bridges and their role in the spread of ectromelia virus in vitro
This work describes the role of membrane bridges in the spread of ectromelia virus (ECTV) Moscow strain (ECTV-MOS) in vitro in BALB/3T3 and Vero cells. In this research, immunofluorescence techniques were used: cells were fixed, stained for the presence of viral antigens, F-actin, and DNA, and viewed under a fluorescence microscope. In both cell lines, ECTV-MOS infection induces production of two types of actin-rich protrusions: tiny actin tails or long filopodia-like structures. It appears that both types con-tribute to the spread of ECTV-MOS particles and may be classified as membrane bridges.
Keywords: ectromelia (mousepox) virus, F-actin, membrane bridges, actin tails