Figure 2

Alterations in the architecture of HeLa cells following expression of HCV proteins from VT7-HCV _7.9 seen by electron microscopy. HeLa cells uninfected or infected with the recombinant VT7-HCV7.9 in the presence or absence of the inducer IPTG, were chemically fixed at 16 h p.i and then processed for conventional embedding in an epoxy resin as described under Materials and Methods.A: Cellular architecture of uninfected HeLa cells. B: A general view of a cell infected with VT7-HCV7.9 in the absence of IPTG, showing the VACV forms IVs and IMVs. C and D: A general view of cells infected with VT7-HCV7.9 in the presence of IPTG, showing few IVs, large EDS, swollen mitochondria and vacuoles. E: High magnification of infected VT7-HCV7.9 cells in the presence of IPTG showing EDS with membranes, TS and swollen mitochondria with a protruding membrane. Note: Nucleus (N), mitochondria (m), Golgi apparatus (G), immature virus (IV), intracellular mature virus (IMV), tubular structures (TS), electron dense structures in membranous webs (EDS). Bar: 500 nm.