Mikael Simons is for Molecular Neurobiology at TUM. Image: A. Eckert / TUM
Mikael Simons is for Molecular Neurobiology at TUM. Image: A. Eckert / TUM Coronavirus: Neuropilin-1 could open the door to the inside of the cell - The protein neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS CoV-2 cell entry. A research team including Prof. Mikael Simons of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently published these findings in the journal "Science". Because neuropilin-1 is expressed in the mucous membranes of the olfactory and respiratory tract, the findings may be important for understanding the spreading of SARS CoV-2. The degree to which a virus spreads depends on its infectivity. While the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has led to severe pandemic, a related virus, SARS-CoV, led to a much smaller outbreak in 2003, possibly because the infection was limited to the lower respiratory system. SARS-CoV-2, in contrast, infects the upper portions of the respiratory tract, including the nasal mucous membrane and, in consequence, spreads rapidly through active viral shedding.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
