Having the ability to move toward or be attracted to cells, or showing preference for certain types of cells.
From cyto- (Greek kytos, 'cell') + -tropic (Greek -tropos, 'turning toward'). Used in virology and immunology to describe how viruses or cells are drawn to or specialized for particular cell types.
HIV is notoriously cytotropic for CD4+ immune cells—it's like a lock-and-key romance where the virus specifically targets one cell type and largely ignores others, which is why HIV primarily devastates the immune system rather than, say, your heart. This tropism is why different viruses cause different diseases.
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