Pyknosis

Pyknosis,orkaryopyknosis,is the irreversible condensation ofchromatinin thenucleusof acellundergoingnecrosis^[1]orapoptosis.^[2]It is followed bykaryorrhexis,or fragmentation of the nucleus. Pyknosis (from Ancient Greekπυκνόςmeaning "thick, closed or condensed" ) is also observed in the maturation oferythrocytes(a red blood cell) and theneutrophil(a type of white blood cell). The maturing metarubricyte (a stage in RBC maturation) will condense its nucleus before expelling it to become areticulocyte.The maturing neutrophil will condense its nucleus into several connected lobes that stay in the cell until the end of its cell life.

Micrographof an infarct in thebiliary tract,with pyknotic nuclei (arrows) (400x).

Pyknotic nuclei are often found in thezona reticularisof the adrenal gland. They are also found in the keratinocytes of theoutermost layerin parakeratinised epithelium.

References

^Kumar V, Abbas A, Nelson F, Mitchell R (2007).Robbins Basic Pathology(8th ed.). pp. 6, 9–10 (table 1-1).
^Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Vandenabeele P, Abrams J, Alnemri ES, Baehrecke EH, et al. (January 2009)."Classification of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2009".Cell Death and Differentiation.16(1): 3–11.doi:10.1038/cdd.2008.150.PMC2744427.PMID 18846107.

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[1] Kumar V, Abbas A, Nelson F, Mitchell R (2007).Robbins Basic Pathology(8th ed.). pp. 6, 9–10 (table 1-1).

[zamzami-2] Kroemer G, Galluzzi L, Vandenabeele P, Abrams J, Alnemri ES, Baehrecke EH, et al. (January 2009)."Classification of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2009".Cell Death and Differentiation.16(1): 3–11.doi:10.1038/cdd.2008.150.PMC2744427.PMID 18846107.

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v t e Pathology
Principles of pathology	Disease Infection Neoplasia Cause Pathogenesis Hemodynamics Ischemia Inflammation Cell damage Wound healing Cellular adaptation Atrophy Hypertrophy Hyperplasia Dysplasia Metaplasia Squamous Glandular Cell death Necrosis Coagulative necrosis Liquefactive necrosis Gangrenous necrosis Caseous necrosis Fat necrosis Fibrinoid necrosis Myocytolysis Programmed cell death Apoptosis Pyknosis Karyorrhexis Karyolysis Accumulations pigment Hemosiderin Lipochrome/Lipofuscin Melanin Steatosis
Anatomical pathology	Surgical pathology Cytopathology Autopsy Molecular pathology Forensic pathology Oral and maxillofacial pathology Gross processing Histopathology Immunohistochemistry Electron microscopy Immunofluorescence Fluorescence in situ hybridization
Clinical pathology	Clinical chemistry Hematopathology Transfusion medicine Medical microbiology Diagnostic immunology Immunopathology Enzyme assay Mass spectrometry Chromatography Flow cytometry Blood bank Microbiological culture Serology

See also

References