Central chromatolysis is a
histopathologic
Histopathology (compound of three Greek words: ''histos'' "tissue", πάθος ''pathos'' "suffering", and -λογία ''-logia'' "study of") refers to the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease. Spec ...
change seen in the cell body of a
neuron
A neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that communicates with other cells via specialized connections called synapses. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. ...
, where the
chromatin
Chromatin is a complex of DNA and protein found in eukaryotic cells. The primary function is to package long DNA molecules into more compact, denser structures. This prevents the strands from becoming tangled and also plays important roles in r ...
and
cell nucleus are pushed to the cell periphery, in response to
axon
An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis), or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see spelling differences), is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action p ...
al injury.
[Neuropathology - Basic Reactions. University of Vermont. URL]
http://www.uvm.edu/~jkessler/NP/neuropbr.htm
. Accessed on: 1 January 2011.
This response is associated with increased protein synthesis to accommodate for axonal sprouting.
In addition to traumatic injuries, central chromatolysis may be caused by
vitamin deficiency
Vitamin deficiency is the condition of a long-term lack of a vitamin. When caused by not enough vitamin intake it is classified as a ''primary deficiency'', whereas when due to an underlying disorder such as malabsorption it is called a ''seconda ...
(
pellagra
Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3). Symptoms include inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. Areas of the skin exposed to either sunlight or friction are typically affected first. Over t ...
).
See also
*
Motor neuron
References
{{reflist
External links
Neurocytology and Basic Reactions (neuropathologyweb.org)
Pathology