Question

HIV has become one of the most feared diseases of the world community in the last few decades. Antiviral drugs have been developed that help treat the disease, although no cure has yet been found. Many pharmaceutical approaches are being investigated to battle the disease. Using what you know about how HIV infects human cells and the body's own cellular structure, answer the following questions in one or two well-developed paragraphs for each part of the question.
One possible way to combat HIV invasion of the cell is to develop a drug which could destroy the "envelope" that surrounds the HIV particle.

Explain the function of this envelope and how the drug would help stop HIV infection.

Why has this approach NOT been used on people?

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors are currently used in AIDS treatments. These drugs act by inhibiting reverse transcriptase activity. Explain the function of reverse transcriptase inhibitors and how this drug would help stop HIV infection.


I've looked it up in my book and on the web. I still can't find any onfo on the "envelop" of an HIV cell. If any of you know anything about it, it would help.
:)