Reproduction  

Reproduction of HIV is important to know because with this knowledge, it is much easier to discover a cure for HIV and other lentiviruses.

HIV reproduction starts by being introduced into the human body through sexual contact, contaminated needles or child birth.

Once in the system, HIV seeks out CD4 cells and binds to them through a lock and key type system. Proteins on the surface of HIV attach to proteins on the surface of the CD4 cells.

After the two cells have attached, HIV pumps it's proteins into the cytoplasm of the CD4 cell.

Once the RNA is in the CD4 cell, it must use the enzyme reverse transcriptase to become the double stranded DNA.

The HIV DNA then must integrate into the CD4 cell nucleus.

HIV then waits for enough proteins to be produced.

Once HIV has enough proteins, it breaks up the protein and assembles it into new HIV.

Finally, HIV buds. It has a new membrane which was originally the CD4 membrane and is filled with HIV genetic material. It then breaks off from the original site and enters circulation.

And the whole process starts over again. . .