Replication of hepatitis C virus

The mode of replication of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains poorly understood. Attempts to produce a tissue culture model containing replicating HCV have been largely unsuccessful. Recent studies on sera from patients chronically infected with HCV have shown that viral particles may be found in high- or low-density fractions. High-density fractions contain non-infectious virions whilst infectious particles can be derived from low-density material. Using appropriate infectious fractions we have successfully infected a number of human cell lines allowing studies of HCV replication to be initiated.