Salt-and-pepper chromatin
Encyclopedia
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, salt-and-pepper chromatin, also salt-and-pepper nuclei and stippled chromatin, refers to cell nuclei that demonstrate granular chromatin
Chromatin
Chromatin is the combination of DNA and proteins that make up the contents of the nucleus of a cell. The primary functions of chromatin are; to package DNA into a smaller volume to fit in the cell, to strengthen the DNA to allow mitosis and meiosis and prevent DNA damage, and to control gene...
(on light microscopy).
Salt-and-pepper chromatin is typically seen in endocrine tumours such as medullary thyroid carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumours and pheochromocytoma
Pheochromocytoma
A pheochromocytoma or phaeochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands , or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue that failed to involute after birth and secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines, usually noradrenaline , and adrenaline to a lesser extent...
.
External links
- Salt-and-pepper chromatin - nature.com.
- Salt-and-pepper nucleus - upmc.edu.