Background This study aimed to examine how CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) inhibitors (aplaviroc [APL], TAK779 and maraviroc [MVC]) interact with CCR5 and affect its dynamics and physiological CC-chemokine–CCR5 interactions. Methods A yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged CCR5-expressing U373-MAGI cell line was generated and a stable CCR5-expressing clonal population, YFPCCR5-UM16, was prepared. YFPCCR5-UM16 cells were exposed to RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α or MIP-1β (all 100 ng/ml) with or without CCR5 inhibitors and YFPCCR5 internalization was visualized with realtime by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The mobility of YFPCCR5 was also examined in the presence of CCR5 inhibitors with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) imaging. Results Following the addition of each CC chemokine, intracellular fluorescence intensity increased whereas membranous fluorescence decreased, signifying YFPCCR5 internalization. All three CCR5 inhibitors failed to induce YFPCCR5 internalization. All three CCR5 inhibitors blocked the CC-chemokine-induced internalization at a high concentration of 1 μM; however, the ratio of APL concentration that blocked RANTES-induced internalization by 50% over APL concentration that blocked HIV type-1 (HIV-1) replication by 50% was 16.4, indicating that APL permits CC-chemokine-induced internalization to a much greater extent compared with TAK779 and MVC, having ratios of 1.1 and 0.9, respectively. The examination of YFPCCR5 mobility with FRAP imaging revealed that YFPCCR5 continuously underwent rapid redistribution, which none of the three inhibitors blocked. Conclusions The finding that APL moderately blocked the RANTES-triggered YFPCCR5 internalization despite the highly potent anti-HIV-1 activity of APL strongly suggests that development of CCR5 inhibitors, which do not overly inhibit physiological CC-chemokine–CCR5 interactions, is practically feasible.