basophilic

[ bey-suh-fil-ik ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, Biology.

First recorded in 1890–95; basophil + -ic

Nuclei and certain other structures in the blood are stained by the basic dyes, and are hence called basophilic.

Nuclei, basophilic granules, and all blood parasites are blue; erythrocytes are red or pink; eosinophilic granules, bright red.

Myelocytes are named according to the character of their granules—neutrophilic, eosinophilic, and basophilic myelocytes.

The basophilic variety is less common, and is confined to long-standing severe myelogenous leukemia.

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