[Morphology and formation of symplasts in cell cultures infected with measles virus]

The morphology and formation of giant cells were studied in diploid r-68 and MRC-5 cells in comparison with Vero cells at different times after inoculation with measles Leningrad-16 virus by electron and light microscopy and morphometry. The virions were released mainly from mononuclear cells and small syncytia. The nuclei were positioned centrally in the syncytia formed by diploid cells and at the periphery in Vero cell culture. The examined cultures were similar in terms of virus titers but differed by morphology, size and number of syncytia per unit of surface and time course of their formation. In comparison with Vero cells, in diploid r-68 and MRC-5 cells the maximal number involved in giant cells was 5 and 3.5 times lesser and the number of syncytia per surface unit 20 and 13 times lesser, respectively. Human r-68 diploid cell culture was characterized by the least number and size of syncytia over the entire course of experiment and longest life of the monolayer.