Viral video shows how coronavirus destroys brain cells
Infected cells can be seen fusing with one another before explosive death
Watch SARS-CoV-2 infection triggering cell fusion and cell death in bat brain cells.
Filmed over 48 hours, the footage shows bat brain cells (the grey blobs) interspersed with red dots, which are the cells dying after having been infected with the virus.
The infected cells fuse with neighbouring ones to form larger masses and then explode, signaling their demise.
This fascinating video was produced by Sophie-Marie Aicher and Dr Delphine Planas, virologists at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. They received an honourable mention in the 2021 Nikon Small World in Motion Competition.
