Question

An animal cell with numerous nuclei is called
A. Coenocyte
B. Syncytial
C. Plasmodium
D. Both A and B

Answer 1

Hint: It is a multinucleated condition which is caused by the multiple fusion of mononuclear cells and this is mostly seen when cells get affected with viruses like HIV, pneumo viruses, etc.

Complete answer:
An animal cell with numerous nuclei is called as syncytial because it refers to multinucleate condition which means that the cell contains more than one nucleus per cell. In simple words, you can say multi nuclei with a common cytoplasm. This multinucleate condition is caused when there is fusion of mononuclear cells which give rise to multinuclear cells.
When cells get affected with viruses like HIV, etc. then this condition arises and it is seen in skeletal muscles where muscle fibres are formed due to the fusion of individual muscle cells.

> Option A - Coenocyte.
It is a body of algal or fungal cytoplasm where there are several nuclei but it is not an animal cell which has numerous nuclei and therefore this option is incorrect and it gets eliminated.

> Option B - Syncytial.
An animal cell with numerous nuclei is called syncytial and having numerous nuclei means to have multinucleate condition and therefore, this option is the correct one.

> Option C - Plasmodium.
It is a malaria parasite, this is not an animal cell having numerous nuclei. Therefore, this option is incorrect and it gets eliminated.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Syncytial is an animal cell with numerous nuclei as it is a multinucleate condition caused by the fusion of mononuclear cells. This condition refers to a single cell which contains more than one nucleus per cell. It is seen in skeletal muscles as the fibres are formed from individual muscle cells.