1. the condensation and degeneration of a cell nucleus, typically occurring during cell death or apoptosis
Usage: technical; biology; medicine

Examples

• Under the microscope, pycnosis appeared as a darkly stained, shrunken nucleus.
• The researchers observed pycnosis in cancer cells treated with the new drug.
• Pycnosis is one of the hallmark features of programmed cell death.
• During apoptosis, pycnosis precedes the fragmentation of the cell nucleus.
• The pathologist identified pycnosis as evidence of cellular degeneration in the tissue sample.