What's with the spikes? Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
![What's with the spikes? Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center](https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2020/04/covid19-virus-spike-structure/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/textimage/image.coreimg.jpeg/1657667657270/im6col-covid-19.jpeg)
That gray Styrofoam ball dotted with red spikes has become an unofficial logo of the pandemic. Biologically speaking, those spikes are critically important. They are the point of contact that our own vulnerable lung cells have with the virus, SARS-CoV-2. And they are a target for drugs or vaccines.
![](https://d2jx2rerrg6sh3.cloudfront.net/image-handler/picture/2020/6/shutterstock_1703444803.jpg)
Covid spike, uit 83% superkorting
![](https://d2jx2rerrg6sh3.cloudfront.net/images/news/ImageForNews_705062_16454516117178440.jpg)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cms.ipressroom.com/401/files/202306/6487bff7a1383573c1793f0b_SpikeProtein3D_BN/SpikeProtein3D_BN_e2649697-7c93-4ac3-98a1-8703288f2cc7-prv.jpg)
Covid spike, uit 83% superkorting
![](https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-coronavirus_44.jpg?v=at&w=1440&h=2880)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](http://awesomeartifact.com/cdn/shop/files/BlackEyedPeasbandsigned14-intambourine499799_1200x1200.jpg?v=1684291554)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/health/conditions_treatments/2020/02/1140-corona-virus.jpg)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://www.genengnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Getty_1211803628_VirusWithRNAMoleculeInside-scaled-e1617195770211.jpg)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://d2jx2rerrg6sh3.cloudfront.net/image-handler/ts/20210520023358/ri/200/picture/2021/5/shutterstock_1637613388.jpg)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://www.fredhutch.org/content/dam/public/communications/Photo/2020/04-april/200403/social-covid-19.jpg)
Covid spike, uit 83% superkorting
![](https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/2023/11/29/396094-untitled-design-60.jpg)
American Spy Agencies Say Origins Of COVID-19 May Never Be
![](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/images/newsreleases/2021/11/newsroom-michael-nov-16-sars-cov-2-and-spike-protein-model-niaid-image-002.jpeg)
Covid spike, uit 83% superkorting
![](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/deepweb/assets/sigmaaldrich/marketing/global/images/technical-documents/protocols/research-and-disease-areas/immunology-research/covid-host-cell-graph/covid-host-cell-graph.png)
Covid spike, uit 83% superkorting