A website 'https://www.covid19cellatlas.org/' provides comprehensive mapping of potential cellular entry of coronaviruses, especially the SARS-CoV-2, which has affinity for the nasal epithelium as a portal for initial infection and transmission.
Data from all over the world shows that apart from the nasal route of entry, the virus also gains access to the heart through the pericytes - cells foundi n the network of small blood vessels in the heart, cardiac muscle cells and fibroblasts.
Also, the virus enters the tear ducts.
The paper is published in Nature Medicine as a brief communication entitled, 'SARS-CoV-2 entry factors are highly expressed in nasal epithelial cells together with innate immune genes'
Sungnak, W., Huang, N., Bécavin, C. et al. SARS-CoV-2 entry factors are highly expressed in nasal epithelial cells together with innate immune genes. Nat Med (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0868-6
