Table 1. The Normal Human Hepatocyte Culture System Produces HCV Genotype 1 with a Density of Infectious Virions.
| HCV Genotype 1 (Serum) | HCV Genotype 1 (Primary Infection) | HCV Genotype 1 (Secondary Infection) | |||
| Density (g/cm3) | RNA (IDV) | Density (g/cm3) | RNA (IDV) | Density (g/cm3) | RNA (IDV) |
| 0.979 | 8851833 | 0.987 | 12132120 | 0.990 | 3451200 |
| 1.031 | 9698598 | 1.012 | 30425472 | 1.003 | 12611840 |
| 1.049 | 6776352 | 1.034 | 3345300 | 1.015 | 7651520 |
| 1.067 | 5189958 | 1.052 | 27534276 | 1.076 | 12516160 |
| 1.258 | 6541992 | 1.298 | 16558080 | 1.259 | 7376960 |
HCV genotype 1 virions were isolated by isopycnic ultracentrifugation through an iodixanol gradient as described in Material and methods from patients' serum , from the human hepatocyte primary infection and from the human hepatocyte secondary infection. The densities below 1.09 g/cm3 consistent with infectious virions, comprised approximately 82% of the patient's serum, 86% of the primary infection, and 90% of the secondary infection. HCV virions in each fraction were assessed by RT-PCR for HCV RNA , as described in Material and methods.