In this video, we're going to talk more about the steps of the interferon response, which recall from our last lesson video, provides antiviral effects or defense against viruses in neighboring cells. Now before we begin, I want to first mention that the text that you see up above corresponds with the image that you see down below on the interferon response. And so one thing that we're going to do as we break this up is we're going to go from the text up above to the image down below so you can see how it corresponds.
And so here what we're saying is that when the PRRs or the pattern recognition receptors of an infected cell detect viral RNA, sometimes that infected cell can produce and secrete interferons, which recall interferons are commonly abbreviated as IFNs. And so, if we take a look at our image down below on the left-hand side over here, notice that we're showing you our first cell, and this first cell is being infected by a virus. And so notice that this is our virus, and notice that the virus here is infecting this cell that we have right here. And so, the virus is infecting the cell. However, this infected cell is sometimes able to create interferons. And so notice that this cell, although it is being infected, it is producing and secreting these interferon molecules. And the interferon molecules can again be produced by the first cell and diffuse over towards neighboring cells. And so again, what we're saying here is that the infected cell can produce and secrete interferons, and those interferons can diffuse to a neighboring cell and bind to that neighboring cell to warn that neighboring cell of the presence of the virus.
And so notice here, in the image, we have these little interferon molecules diffusing over to a neighboring cell here that has not yet been infected by the virus. Now notice this little bubble speech that's being said here by the first cell that is infected. Notice that because this cell here is being infected by the virus, it's saying, "I'm doomed." And so this first cell, although it is being infected by the virus and it is ultimately going to be killed by the virus, It's saying here that maybe it can save its neighbors if it releases interferons. And so the first cell, although it knows it is going to die by the virus, can release these interferons again to warn neighboring cells of the presence of the virus before the virus actually gets over to it. And so again here what we're saying is that these interferons that have been released by the first infected cell can diffuse over towards neighboring cells and bind to those neighboring cells that have not yet been infected.
And when the interferons bind to those neighboring cells that have not yet been infected, it can actually lead to the production of inactive antiviral proteins, or IAVPs, in those neighboring cells that have not yet been infected. And so if we take a look at our image down below, notice that these interferons that have diffused over to the neighboring cell over here allow for the production of IAVPs, inactive antiviral proteins. And so notice it says here that the neighboring cell receives the interferons, detects the interferons, and the detection of the interferons allows the neighboring cell to produce those IAVPs, Inactive Antiviral Proteins. Now these inactive antiviral proteins, as their name implies, they are inactive. And so because they are inactive, they are not going to do anything until they become activated. However, they are being expressed so they are ready to take action and become activated when the scenario presents itself.
And so notice that this bubble speech over here by the neighboring cell is saying, "Oh, I just got a message and the message is referring to the interferons that my neighbor was infected by a virus. So, I better make these antiviral proteins or IAVPs." Now if this neighboring cell down the line is ever infected by that virus, then the detection of that viral double-stranded RNA or just any type of viral RNA that is detected can actually activate that neighboring cell's inactive Antiviral Proteins. And the activation of inactive Antiviral Proteins will form AVPs, active antiviral proteins. And these active antiviral proteins, or AVPs, have the ability to stop translation of the cell by degrading the cell's mRNA. And ultimately, this will trigger apoptosis. And although apoptosis is programmed cell death that will kill the cell, it is also going to prevent the virus from using the cell as a host to replicate. And so ultimately, it will prevent virus replication. And so if we take a look at our image down below, notice that the first cell over here that is infected by the virus, again, releases those interferons so that the neighboring cel