What is the Difference Between Syncytium and Coenocytic

The main difference between syncytium and coenocytic is that syncytium is a result of a cellular aggregation followed by dissolution of the cell membranes whereas coenocytic is the situation of a multinucleated cell that results from multiple nuclear divisions.

Syncytium and coenocytic are two types of multinucleated cells formed in different situations. Significantly, both contain multiple nuclei in a single cell.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Syncytium
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Coenocytic
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Syncytium and Coenocytic
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Syncytium and Coenocytic
   • Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Coenocytic, Syncytium

What is Syncytium

Syncytium is the condition of multiple nuclei formed by the fusion of multiple uninuclear cells. This fusion of cells undergoes the dissolution of cell membranes inside the mass. In general, cells are unicellular and they are the building blocks of all living things. Moreover, some examples of syncytium include the dikaryon stage of Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes, and osteoclasts.

Figure 1: Dikaryon

Furthermore, animal skeletal muscles are a common example of the syncytium. Cells interconnected by specialized membranes with gap junctions seen in the heart muscle and some smooth muscles are other examples of the syncytium. Usually, in muscle cells, myogenesis results in multinucleated cells. These nuclei are myonuclei and these nuclei occur inside the cell membrane. 

What is Coenocytic

Coenocytic is the condition of having multiple nuclei in the cell. In general, the coenocytic condition is due to undergoing multiple nuclear divisions in the uninuclear cell without undergoing cytokinesis or division of the cytoplasm. Some examples of coenocytes are endosperm, phycomycetes, and angiosperm tapetum. The number of nuclei in the cell in coenocyte are the multiples of two such as 4 and eight.

Figure 2: Endosperm

Moreover, in coenocytic conditions, mitosis occurs the produce the endosperm. Usually, the nuclei of the endosperm are distributed throughout the cytoplasm of the endosperm. But cytokinesis does not occur in the endosperm and therefore, a single cell contains multiple nuclei. 

Similarities Between Syncytium and Coenocytic

• Syncytium and coenocytic are two situations of having multinucleated cells within a single cell.
• Furthermore, in both conditions, cells contain multiple nuclei.

Difference Between Syncytium and Coenocytic

Definition

Syncytium refers to a single cell or cytoplasmic mass containing several nuclei, formed by the fusion of cells or by division of nuclei, while coenocytic refers to a multinucleate mass of protoplasm resulting from repeated nuclear division unaccompanied by cell fission.

Formation

Usually, syncytium occurs as a result of a cellular fusion of multiple cells followed by the dissolution of cell membranes while coenocytic refers to a condition that results in multiple nuclear divisions without undergoing cytokinesis.

Examples

Dikaryon conditions of the basidiomycetes and ascomycetes are examples of syncytium while endosperm, phycomycetes, and angiosperm are examples of coenocytic conditions.

Conclusion

In brief, syncytium and coenocytic are two conditions of a single cell having multiple nuclei. However, syncytium is a result of the fusion of multiple cells followed by the dissolution of cell membranes inside the mass. In contrast, coenocytic is the situation in which multiple nuclear divisions occur without undergoing cytokinesis. Dikaryotic conditions of fungi are examples of syncytium while the endosperm is an example of coenocytic. Therefore, the main difference between syncytium and coenocytic is the formation of multiple nuclei.

References:

1. “Syncytium.” Syncytium – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. “Coenocyte.” Coenocyte – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Double fertilization in arabidopsis 2” By Double_fertilization_in_arabidopsis.jpg: – Own work (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Abb2.3 Pilze Fungi Basidiomycota Schnalle Hyphe Dikaryon 2021 (M. Piepenbring)” By Meike Piepenbring – Own Work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia