Since spread of HCV to naïve cells following infection is dependent on secretion of de novo infectious virions, we measured infectious HCVcc in the supernatant of infected cultures and observed detectable but reduced levels of infectious HCVcc in Hep3B and HepG2-CD81 culture supernatants and undetectable levels of HCVcc in infected PLC cultures (Figure 5C). Here, HSPG2 is linked to infection.