You have two cell lines, a macrophage cell line and a CD4 T-cell line. The macrophage cell line is resistant to infection by HIV, whereas the T-cell line is fully susceptible and fully permissive. Why are macrophage cell line resistant to infection by HIV? Why are T-cell fully susceptible and fully permissive? Please explain. Also, A heterokaryon cell made from the fusion of these two cells is able to be infected by HIV. Explain why? Please explain in detail. Solution Macrophages are antigen- presenting cells so they process the viral peptides and present it to uninfected CD4 T-Cell which is the important transmission process. Also HIV-infected macrophages release soluble cytotoxic factors which induce apoptosis in CD4 T-Cells. Macrophages produce certain host restriction factors which inhibits the release of viral progeny from infected cells. So macrophages are resistant to lysis because of its genetic make up and its phenotypes (restriction factors). So when two cell lines are fused to form heterokaryon cell, the genes of macrophages are suppressed or it is recessive or the T cell genes are dominant to make the heterokaryon susceptible to infection..