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. 2021 Jan 6;35(2):231–247. doi: 10.1007/s10557-020-07120-8

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© The Author(s) 2021

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Fig. 1 — Mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells. (1) SARS-CoV-2 adheres to the surface of the target cell after interacting with ACE2 via the S protein. (2) TMPRSS2 binds and then cleaves ACE2. During the process, the S protein is activated to promote membranous fusion between the virus and host cell. (3) The virus enters the host cell. Abbreviations: ACE2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; RNA, ribonucleic acid; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; TMPRSS2, transmembrane serine protease 2