Syncytium

A Syncytium is an area of multinucleated cytoplasm without any distinction of separate cells, occurring when two or more cells fuse together. Certain viral proteins mediate the fusion of an infected cell with neighbouring cells, herpes is a virus known to cause the development of syncytia. Syncytia are also found in healthy human tissue; skeletal muscle is an example of syncytia, where it is essential as it allows rapid coordinated contraction along the entire length of muscles.