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A syncytium (/ s ɪ n ˈ s ɪ ʃ i ə m /; pl.: syncytia; from Greek: σύν syn "together" and κύτος kytos "box, i.e. cell") or symplasm is a multinucleate cell that can result from multiple cell fusions of uninuclear cells (i.e., cells with a single nucleus), in contrast to a coenocyte, which can result from multiple nuclear divisions without accompanying cytokinesis. [1]
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are interstitial cells found in the gastrointestinal tract.There are different types of ICC with different functions. ICC and another type of interstitial cell, known as platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) cells, are electrically coupled to smooth muscle cells via gap junctions, that work together as an SIP functional syncytium. [2]
The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion (the tongue, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder). Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller components, until they can be absorbed and assimilated into the body.
The digestive system has a complex system of motility and secretion regulation which is vital for proper function. This task is accomplished via a system of long reflexes from the central nervous system (CNS), short reflexes from the enteric nervous system (ENS) and reflexes from GI peptides working in harmony with each other. [4]
a Cells of the same lineage fuse to form a cell with multiple nuclei, known as a syncytium. The fused cell can have an altered phenotype and new functions such as barrier formation. b Cells of different lineage fuse to form a cell with multiple nuclei, known as a heterokaryon. The fused cells might have undergone a reversion of phenotype or ...
Goblet cells secrete mucus, which lubricates the passage of food along and protects the intestinal wall from digestive enzymes. In the small intestine, villi are folds of the mucosa that increase the surface area of the intestine. The villi contain a lacteal, a vessel connected to the lymph system that aids in the removal of lipids and tissue ...
As adults, most digeneans possess a terminal or subterminal mouth, a muscular pharynx that provides the force for ingesting food, and a forked, blind digestive system consisting of two tubular sacs called caeca (sing. caecum). In some species the two gut caeca join posteriorly to make a ring-shaped gut or cyclocoel.
The cells of the fiber syncytium can be tetraploid, i.e. contain a quadruple complement of chromosomes. A single complement of chromosomes in Trichoplax adhaerens contains a total of fewer than fifty million base pairs and thus forms the smallest animal genome; the number of base pairs in the intestinal bacterium Escherichia coli is smaller by ...