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🦠 Virus Cell Entry Simulator

Interactive 3D cell membrane where docking a virus particle onto a receptor shows how receptor binding and membrane fusion drive viral entry into the host cell.

Biology3DModerate60 FPS

A spiked virus particle drifts toward a receptor-studded cell membrane, docks, locks onto a receptor, and drives membrane fusion so its genome can slip into the cytoplasm.

🔬 What It Demonstrates

Receptor density and spike–receptor affinity control how quickly the virus finds and binds a receptor; protease priming controls how fast the fusion pore opens and the genome is released into the cell.

🎮 How to Use

Adjust receptor density and binding affinity, toggle protease priming, and switch to the cutaway view to watch the fusion pore open through a cross-section of the membrane.

💡 Did You Know?

SARS-CoV-2's spike protein binds the ACE2 receptor, but many spikes must first be cleaved by a host protease such as TMPRSS2 before they can refold and pull the viral and cell membranes together.

⚙ Under the hood

Interactive 3D cell membrane where docking a virus particle onto a receptor shows how receptor binding and membrane fusion drive viral entry into the host cell.

virus-entryreceptor-bindingmembrane-fusionvirologymolecular-biologybiology

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install