1. the shrinkage and condensation of a cell nucleus, typically occurring during cell death
Usage: medical; biology

Examples

• The pathologist observed pyknosis in the damaged tissue samples.
• Pyknosis is one of the characteristic features of apoptosis.
• Under the microscope, pyknosis appeared as darkly stained, shrunken nuclei.
• The researcher documented pyknosis as evidence of cellular stress.
• Pyknosis occurs when chromatin becomes highly condensed during cell death.
• The degree of pyknosis helped determine the extent of tissue damage.