TNF and viral infectious disease: In addition, the presence of SCs containing SARS-CoV-2 proteins, assembled viral particles, and enhanced TNF-α concentration in the cytoplasm confirms that this cell is a target for viral infection in the seminiferous epithelium, exerts an immune response, and, due to its intricate cytoplasmic projections in close contact with numerous germ cells, this sustentacular cell may also spread the viruses to germ cells located in the basal and adluminal compartments.