A metamyelocyte is a cell undergoing
granulopoiesis
Granulopoiesis (or granulocytopoiesis) is a part of haematopoiesis, that leads to the production of granulocytes. A granulocyte, also referred to as a polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN), is a type of white blood cell that has multi lobed nuclei, u ...
, derived from a
myelocyte
A myelocyte is a young cell of the granulocytic series, occurring normally in bone marrow (can be found in circulating blood when caused by certain diseases).
Structure
When stained with the usual dyes, the cytoplasm is distinctly basophil ...
, and leading to a
band cell.
It is characterized by the appearance of a bent
nucleus
Nucleus ( : nuclei) is a Latin word for the seed inside a fruit. It most often refers to:
* Atomic nucleus, the very dense central region of an atom
*Cell nucleus, a central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing most of the cell's DNA
Nucl ...
,
cytoplasmic
In cell biology, the cytoplasm is all of the material within a eukaryotic cell, enclosed by the cell membrane, except for the cell nucleus. The material inside the nucleus and contained within the nuclear membrane is termed the nucleoplasm. The ...
granules, and the absence of visible
nucleoli
The nucleolus (, plural: nucleoli ) is the largest structure in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. It is best known as the site of ribosome biogenesis, which is the synthesis of ribosomes. The nucleolus also participates in the formation of s ...
. (If the nucleus is not yet bent, then it is likely a
myelocyte
A myelocyte is a young cell of the granulocytic series, occurring normally in bone marrow (can be found in circulating blood when caused by certain diseases).
Structure
When stained with the usual dyes, the cytoplasm is distinctly basophil ...
.)
Additional images
File:Hematopoiesis (human) diagram en.svg, Hematopoiesis
See also
*
Pluripotential hemopoietic stem cell
External links
* - "Bone Marrow and Hemopoiesis: bone marrow smear, neutrophilic metamyelocyte and mature PMN"
*
*
*
Interactive diagram at lycos.es
Histology
Leukocytes
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