pyknotic
1
9.9
A cell nucleus that becomes small and very dark when the cell is dying
- adjective
- /pɪkˈnɒtɪk/
- Specialized
:
pícnótico
- Under the microscope, the cancerous cells showed numerous pyknotic nuclei, a clear sign of chromatin condensation.
- pyknotic nuclei
Examples
-
During the examination, pyknotic nuclei were detected, signifying the process of cell degradation.
-
Most of the tubular epithelial cells revealed pyknotic nuclei.
Academic text (2013) -
The pathologist observed pyknotic nuclei in the tissue samples, indicating cell death.
Synonyms
9.9
Having a small, dark cell nucleus that shows the cell is dying
has identical meaning but uses a different spelling
Surface Forms
pyknotic positive
Morphology
pyknotic = pyknosis (opaque) = pykn + otic
The word is derived from 'pyknosis', but the specific scientific meaning is not transparent to learners without specialized knowledge.
Etymology
Pyknotic comes from the Greek word pyknos, which means 'dense' or 'thick'. So a pyknotic nucleus has become smaller and very dense, which is why it looks dark under the microscope.