Understanding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Life Cycle & Impact

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common forms of viruses. Many people carry it relatively harmlessly, but it has been suggested that the virus plays a role in the development of cervical cancer.

Makeup

• Papillomavirus is composed of eight genes: E1, E2, E4, E5, E6, E7, L1 and L2. These genes are expressed at different times in its life cycle.

Infection

• The papillomavirus infects epithelial cells, and begins replication there using the cell in its growth phase.

Changes to the Cell

• Papillomavirus infects the cell nucleus, and embeds its genetic information in the cell so that when it divides, copies of the virus are made by the cell as well as a new epithelial cell.

Damage

• E6 and E7 bind with epithelial cell genes, causing uneven division and cell damage. This is thought to be the reason why papillomavirus causes cervical cancer.

Dependency

• The reproduction of papillomavirus depends on cell differentiation and this process has been hard to recreate in a laboratory setting, impeding the advancement of research into the virus.