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The HIV Life Cycle

From , former About.com Guide

Updated March 19, 2010

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10 of 10

Maturation
Maturation

HIV matures and the cycle starts again.

During (or soon after) the budding of the new HIV particle from the host cell membrane, the viral proteinase in p160 becomes active, generating the mature form of HIV. It's at this final step the the cycle begins again to form more HIV.

Photographs provided by the Toronto General Hospital, 2004

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