Novosibirsk center "Vector" showed pictures of the omicron strain COVID

Novosibirsk Center for Virology and Biotechnology Vector infected a cell culture of Vero E6 (African green monkey kidney epithelium) with the Omicron CORONAVIRUS strain in laboratory conditions to study its characteristics, shape and size. This was reported in the press service of Rospotrebnadzor of the Russian Federation.

On the sixth day after infection with the virus, the cells were separated from the surface of special flasks in which they were grown. Then the cells were embedded in a mixture of epoxy resins, and very thin sections were made from the resulting blocks so that the resulting samples were transparent to the electron beam and could be examined in an electron microscope.

Vesicular structures, which are dilated tubules of the intracellular network, are depicted in the pictures in the form of bubbles. With their participation, the synthesis and transport of proteins, lipids and other substances necessary for cell life occurs.

The proteins of the Omicron virus are synthesized in the cytoplasm. Later, they accumulate at the surface of these bubbles and, subject to physical and chemical conditions, penetrate inside, receiving an additional shell.