Figure 1.

Pathways of viral entry. Viruses achieve host cell entry in two principal ways: by direct fusion at the plasma membrane or following an endocytic pathway. The major endocytic pathways operating in mammalian cells that are exploited by viruses are clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), lipid raft pathway, clathrin-independent pathways, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis.