Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

syncytium

Noun

/sɪnˈsɪt.i.əm/

Definition

A syncytium is a mass of cytoplasm that is produced by the fusion of multiple cells, resulting in a structure containing multiple nuclei.

Examples

The skeletal muscle fibers in the body are examples of syncytium, as they are formed from the fusion of myoblasts.
In some infections, such as HIV, the virus can cause the formation of syncytia in infected tissues.
Syncytiotrophoblasts are important in the development of the placenta during pregnancy.

Meaning

The term refers to a multinucleated cell that can form in certain biological contexts such as during embryonic development or in response to viral infections.