Pyknosis
Pyknosis
Pyknosis (pronunciation: pik-NOH-sis) is a process that occurs in the nucleus of a cell during cell death or apoptosis.
Etymology
The term 'Pyknosis' is derived from the Greek word 'pyknos', meaning 'thick' or 'dense'. This refers to the condensation process that the nucleus undergoes during this stage.
Description
During pyknosis, the cell's nucleus shrinks and the chromatin condenses. This is often followed by karyorrhexis, where the nuclear envelope disintegrates and the condensed chromatin is fragmented. Pyknosis is generally considered the first step of apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Related Terms
- Apoptosis: A form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.
- Karyorrhexis: The destructive fragmentation of the nucleus of a dying cell whereby its chromatin is distributed irregularly throughout the cytoplasm.
- Chromatin: The material of which the chromosomes of organisms other than bacteria are composed. It consists of protein, RNA, and DNA.
- Nucleus (cell): A membrane-bound organelle that contains the cell's chromosomes.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pyknosis
- Wikipedia's article - Pyknosis
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