New research suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can induce syncytia formation in the lungs, triggering a strong inflammatory response.

Syncytia formation and cell death was monitored by video microscopy or at endpoint using confocal microscopy and high content imaging. B.

Syncytia formation in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells The authors utilized an S-Fuse assay using U2OS-ACE2 GFP-split cells to induce syncytia in potential SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Thrombosis, pneumotcyte syncytia, and persistent viral RNA are hallmarks of advanced COVID-19 pathology.

In plants this occurs every time a cell divides at cytokinesis! In addition, the ‘cell body’ is inherently motile, but is confined within the boundary structure of the plasma membrane with its ...