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Fig. 2 | Human Genomics

Fig. 2

From: COVID-19 preclinical models: human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 transgenic mice

Fig. 2

The potential pathogenic events in the SARS-CoV-2 infected K18-hACE2 mouse model. This diagram shows the pathogenic events that likely occur in SARS-CoV-2 infected hACE2 Tg mice using the examples of K18-hACE2 responses by SARS-CoV infection. K18-hACE2 Tg mice showed severe lung injury and neuronal damage in CNS by SARS-CoV infection, which were associated with the viral replication levels in each organ. The viral spike protein binds to the hACE2 expressed on neuronal cells or epithelial cells of the air tracks. The viral particles-hACE2 complex is internalized into cells. The virus replicates the viral RNA and generates the viral structure proteins to propagate themselves and infect other cells again. The cell damages, apoptosis, and infiltrated inflammatory cells by SARS-CoV-2 infection cause the tissue damage along with the cytokine and chemokine increases in the infected area, resulting in severe organ damages

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