The PHH/3T3-J2 cocultures, in either MPCC or randomly distributed formats, require the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) at high multiplicity of infection (MOI) to effectively infect the PHHs with HBV; such a protocol does not mimic the natural infection of PHHs with HBV in vivo via cell receptors such as sodium taurocholate cotransporting peptide (NTCP). This evidence concerns the gene SLC10A1 and infection.