Meaning & use
karyorrhexis
Last updated
The destructive fragmentation of a dying cell's nucleus, in which its chromatin breaks into small, irregular pieces.
See it in a sentence
Under the microscope, the pathologist noted karyorrhexis in the necrotic tissue sample.
Karyorrhexis is one of the final visible stages of a dying cell's nucleus.
A note on using this word
From Greek 'karyon' (nucleus) and 'rhexis' (rupture); a key histological marker of cell death by necrosis.
Words with a similar meaning
nuclear fragmentation
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