Pyknosis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Morphological characteristics of pyknosis and other forms of nuclear destruction
Morphological characteristics of pyknosis and other forms of nuclear destruction

Pyknosis, or karyopyknosis, is the irreversible condensation of chromatin in the nucleus of a cell undergoing programmed cell death or apoptosis [1]. It is followed by karyorrhexis, or fragmentation of the nucleus. Pyknosis is also observed in the maturation of erythrocytes (a red blood cell) and the neutrophil (a type of white blood cell). The maturing metarubicyte (a stage in RBC maturation) will condense its nucleus before expelling it to become a reticulocyte. The maturing neutrophil will condense its nucleus into several connected lobes that stay in the cell until the end of its cell life.


[edit] See also

It's also from the nuclear changes in some necrotic cells .

1. Pyknosis : Nucleus appear as a shrinked dark nucleus 2. Karyohexis : Fragmentation to the nucleus takes place 3. Karyolysis : Faint dissolved nucleus then cells lose their nuclues, as necrotics steatocytes ( fat cells in pancreas )

[edit] References

  1. ^ Zamzami N, Kroemer G. (1999). "Apoptosis: Condensed matter in cell death". Nature 401 (127). 
 This cell biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.