Receptors of influenza virus

A virus is a non-living organism and it depends upon the host cell for its functions. A viral protein is the product of the virus and consists of a capsid and the envelope and performs a complex mechanism. A viral receptor can be defined as a host cell surface component that is recognized by the virus as a gateway entry into the cell. The interactions with viral receptors are mediated by viral attachment proteins called virions or glycoproteins. All the virus needs to bind with a specific receptor molecule on the surface of target cells to initiate infection. Virus-receptor binding is highly specific. One of the most remarkable receptors is present in the influenza virus. They belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae and cause respiratory symptoms. They are spherical and enveloped having ssRNA.The physical interaction with its receptors Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase elicit infections. It also has a highly specific binding and can even produce cross inflections due to mutations. A virus has both natural and unnatural hosts. The effect of receptor damage on hosts causes multiple diseases. The cell target shift plays one of the major roles in cross-transmission and recognition of a specific subtype. The different viral receptors present in the cell surface of influenza are discussed in this study. It is useful for clinical assessment and future studies.