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Glite Dictionary
syncytium

syncytium

9.9
A mass of cell material that has many nuclei inside a single outer membrane
  • noun
  • /sɪnˈsɪt̬iəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sincitio
  • Some viruses stimulate cells to join together, forming a large syncytium.

Examples

  • Skeletal muscle tissue develops as a syncytium, allowing coordinated contraction.

  • The heart's atrial muscle acts as a functional syncytium to enable synchronized beating.

  • A syncytium is essential for muscle function.

  • The muscle tissue is made up of a syncytium of fibers.

  • Skeletal muscle tissues are made up of syncytia, which are multinucleated fibers that allow for coordinated contraction.

  • During early embryonic development, the trophoblast forms a syncytium that facilitates implantation in the uterine wall.

  • The presence of a syncytium in certain tissues helps in the synchronization of cellular activities, especially in muscle contraction.

Surface Forms

syncytium singular
syncytia plural

Morphology

syncytium = syncyt (opaque) = syncyt + ium

The immediate base 'syncyt' is not a standalone English word and its meaning is not transparent to English learners.

Etymology

Syncytium comes from the parts syn- 'together' and cyto- 'cell', like the idea of 'in sync' plus the word 'cell'. So it pictures many cell nuclei sitting together inside one membrane, which is exactly what a syncytium is.