The Mesenchyme-Like Layer of the Fiber Cells of Trichoplax adhaerens (Placozoa), a Syncytium.

The fiber cells of the middle layer of Trichoplax adhaerens are interconnected by slender extensions. Newly formed connections after mechanical disruption of the tissue studied in ultrathin sections revealed cytoplasmic continuity between the cell bodies, suggesting a syncytial organisation of the fiber cell layer. The slender extensions connecting the cell bodies are traversed by microtubules and microfilaments.

Respiratory syncytial virus M2-1 protein induces the activation of nuclear factor kappa B.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) induces the production of a number of cytokines and chemokines by activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB). The activation of NF-kappaB has been shown to depend on viral replication in the infected cells. In this study, we demonstrate that expression of RSV M2-1 protein, a transcriptional processivity and anti-termination factor, is sufficient to activate NF-kappaB in A549 cells.