Cytomegalovirus: conversion of nonpermissive cells to a permissive state for virus replication.

Human embryonic kidney cells are epithelioid cells which are normally nonpermissive for in vitro replication of human cytomegalovirus. These cells were converted to a permissive state for the virus by prior treatment with 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine. When this method was used, a nonpermissive cell was made permissive to an infecting virus.