Abstract: Methods in accordance with the present invention involve novel measurements of the disease status of hosts infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. In particular, the present invention relates to a measurements of the numbers in a sample volume of (a) productively HIV-infected cells and (b) cells capable of being infected by HIV, e.g., cells expressing CD4, CCR5, and/or CXCR4. These two values can be represented as a single ratio, e.g., number of productively infected cells/number of cells capable of being infected by HIV, and can be utilized as an indicator of disease status, such as disease progression, viral replication, etc.

Abstract: Methods in accordance with the present invention involve novel measurements of the disease status of hosts infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. In particular, the present invention relates to a measurements of the numbers in a sample volume of (a) productively HIV-infected cells and (b) cells capable of being infected by HIV, e.g., cells expressing CD4, CCR5, and/or CXCR4. These two values can be represented as a single ratio, e.g., number of productively infected cells/number of cells capable of being infected by HIV, and can be utilized as an indicator of disease status, such as disease progression, viral replication, etc.

Abstract: A process for applying and storing adherent cells on a tissue culture plate 20 for preparing tissue culture plates for use in tissue culture experiments. In the process, adherent cells are removed from a flask using trypsin after being incubated in a CO2 Incubator. The cell suspension is created using the adherent cells and a liquid culture medium, which is centrifuged and tested for volume using a hemacytometer. The cell suspension is placed in the wells of a tissue culture plate 20 and then incubated. A cryopreservative is deposited into each well and the tissue culture plate is sealed with an adhesive foil cover and cryogenically preserved using liquid nitrogen. The tissue culture plate 20 is then place into a plastic, waterproof, resealable bag enabling it to be stored at −80° C. for up to 3 months and shipped without damaging the morphological or functional nature of the adherent cells.