HIV viruses budding from Tcell Coloured Trans mission Electron Micrograph TEM of HIV viruses budding from an infected Tlymphocyte human blood cell The cell is at bottom pink HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes AIDS Four viruses are seen in different stages of budding at centre left the virus acquires its coat from the cell membrane red at right the virus buds from the cell at centre right budding is almost complete at left the new virus is free floating Once free the HIV virus with central RNA green reinfects other Tcells Tcells form part of the bodys immune response and are weakened by the HIV virus Magnification x at xcm size