Human macrophages infected by HIV, stained for immunofluorescence

Human macrophages infected by HIV, stained for immunofluorescence and observed by a fluorescence microscope. The HIV is shown in red, all the macrophages in green and their nuclei in blue. Human macrophages, immune cells, were extracted from the blood of healthy donors. They were then cultured and infected by the HIV. The infected cells were stained with visible fluorescent antibodies which specifically recognize HIV. A second culture of human macrophages infected by HIV was also placed in contact with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent responsible for tuberculosis. These immunofluorescence experiments were designed to monitor the development of the HIV infection and improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind the aggravation of this infection induced by tuberculosis.