Cell synchronization

[Robert A. Bloodgood]

   I'm jumping into the discussion about cell synchrony and filamentous
fungi.  Instead of the offered definition relating to "cell division", I
would suggest the important definition of "nuclear cycle" as the defining
issue in cell synchrony.  Regardless of what the cells are doing, if all of
the nuclei in a filamentous fungi or an acellular slime mold or whatever were
undergoing S phase (DNA synthesis) at the same time, then I would say you had
fulfilled the definition for synchrony.  Since nuclear division is not always
coupled to cell division in lower eukaryotes, a universal definition of cell
synchrony would, I believe, have to focus on nuclear events.
Robert A. Bloodgood
Anatomy and Cell Biology
University of Virginia
RAB4m at Virginia.edu