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Letter

Nature Cell Biology 9, 310–315 (1 March 2007) | doi:10.1038/ncb1544

Retroviruses can establish filopodial bridges for efficient cell-to-cell transmission

Nathan M. Sherer , Maik J. Lehmann , Luisa F. Jimenez-Soto , Christina Horensavitz , Marc Pypaert & Walther Mothes

The spread of retroviruses between cells is estimated to be 2–3 orders of magnitude more efficient when cells can physically interact with each other. The underlying mechanism is largely unknown, but transfer is believed to occur through large-surface interfaces, called virological or infectious synapses.