Elsevier established a free COVID-19 resource center in January 2020, offering English and Mandarin information on the virus. The center grants permission for free access to its research in PubMed Central and other repositories. The article discusses virus entry mechanisms, focusing on how viruses use host cell processes like endocytosis to enter cells. It highlights the complexity of viral entry, involving multiple steps such as binding to receptors, internalization, and uncoating. The review covers various viruses, including those that use clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolar/raft pathways, and other mechanisms. It emphasizes the role of cellular signaling, receptor interactions, and the importance of understanding these processes for developing antiviral strategies. The article also discusses virus transmission between cells, including cell-free and cell-cell transfer, and the role of virological synapses in this process. It concludes with perspectives on future research, including the need to identify endocytic mechanisms used by viruses and the potential for pharmacological targeting of these pathways.Elsevier established a free COVID-19 resource center in January 2020, offering English and Mandarin information on the virus. The center grants permission for free access to its research in PubMed Central and other repositories. The article discusses virus entry mechanisms, focusing on how viruses use host cell processes like endocytosis to enter cells. It highlights the complexity of viral entry, involving multiple steps such as binding to receptors, internalization, and uncoating. The review covers various viruses, including those that use clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolar/raft pathways, and other mechanisms. It emphasizes the role of cellular signaling, receptor interactions, and the importance of understanding these processes for developing antiviral strategies. The article also discusses virus transmission between cells, including cell-free and cell-cell transfer, and the role of virological synapses in this process. It concludes with perspectives on future research, including the need to identify endocytic mechanisms used by viruses and the potential for pharmacological targeting of these pathways.