What is Syncytium?
'''Syncytium''' is a living [[Tissue (biological)|tissue]] where there are no complete [[cell wall]]s (plants) or [[cell membrane]]s (animals). Syncytia have [[cytoplasm]] and many [[Cell nucleus|nuclei]], but are not divided into separate [[cells]].<ref>King R.C. Stansfield W.D. & Mulligan P.K. 2006. ''A dictionary of genetics'', 7th ed. Oxford. p435 {{ISBN|978-0195307610}}</ref> == Examples == *[[Fungus|Fungal hyphae]] are often syncytia. *[[Lichen]] tissue may be syncytia with enclosed [[alga]]l or [[bacteria]]l cells. *Many [[insect]] eggs develop by [[mitosis|nuclear division]] without cell membranes. *Skeletal [[muscles]] in [[vertebrate]]s are syncytia: it allows rapid coordinated contraction of muscles along their entire length. *The [[placenta]] of [[mammal]]s is a syncytium. == References == {{Reflist}} [[Category:Cell biology]]