Cell fusion

Cell fusion occurs during differentiation of myoblasts, osteoclasts and trophoblasts, during embryogenesis, and morphogenesis.

Each of the fused hybrid cells contained a single nucleus with chromosomes from both fusion partners.

This work was headed by Henry Harris at the University of Oxford and Nils Ringertz from Sweden's Karolinska Institute.

An example of this would be Bone Marrow Derived Cells (BMDCs) being fused with parenchymatous organs.

Electrical cell fusion is an essential step in some of the most innovative methods in modern biology.

Oftentimes PEG can cause uncontrollable fusion of multiple cells, leading to the appearance of giant polykaryons.

The second stage, which is 20 minutes, is pH dependent and an addition of viral antiserum can still inhibit ultimate fusion.

In the third, antibody-refractory stage, viral envelope constituents remain detectable on the surface of cells.

The laser which typically acts as an optical trap, is used to heat the nanoscopic plasmonic particle to very high and extremely locally elevated temperatures.

Optical trapping of such a nanoheater at the interface between two membrane vesicles,[10] or two cells, leads to immediate fusion of the two verified by both content and lipid mixing [11] Advantages include full flexibility of which cells to fuse and fusion can be performed in any buffer condition unlike electroformation which is affected by salt.

It is because of the scarcity that biologists have begun considering the potential for therapeutic cell fusion.

[13] Cell fusion has become an area of focus for research in cancer progression in humans.

Cell fusion (plasmogamy or syngamy) is a stage in the Amoebozoa sexual cycle.

[15] In Escherichia coli spontaneous zygogenesis (Z-mating) involves cell fusion, and appears to be a form of true sexuality in prokaryotes.

A diagram of cell fusion of various kinds
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 show transdifferentiation.
c Cells of different lineage or the same lineage fuse to form a cell with a single nucleus, known as a synkaryon. New functions of the fused cell can include a reversion of phenotype, transdifferentiation and proliferation. If nuclear fusion occurs, the fused nucleus initially contains the complete chromosomal content of both fusion partners (4N), but ultimately chromosomes are lost and/or re-sorted (see arrows). If nuclear fusion does not occur, a heterokaryon (or syncytium) can become a synkaryon by shedding an entire nucleus.
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