All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Syncytium Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Syncytium facts for kids
Syncytium is a living tissue where there are no complete cell walls (plants) or cell membranes (animals). Syncytia have cytoplasm and many nuclei, but are not divided into separate cells.
Examples
- Fungal hyphae are often syncytia.
- Lichen tissue may be syncytia with enclosed algal or bacterial cells.
- Many insect eggs develop by nuclear division without cell membranes.
- Skeletal muscles in vertebrates are syncytia: it allows rapid coordinated contraction of muscles along their entire length.
- The placenta of mammals is a syncytium.
Images for kids
-
Syncytium caused by HSV-1 infection in Vero cells