MAVS and infection: This was possible because of step-wise adaptation taking advantage of, firstly, an already cell culture-adapted HCV population (P100pop);32,39 secondly, the use of a highly HCV-permissive human liver cell line (Huh-7.5); thirdly, infection of co-cultures of Huh-7.5 and a murine liver cell line with human HCV cell entry factors and blunted antiviral immunity as a result of ablation of the MAVS gene;19 and finally the use of PMHs.