ˈkrōmətə̇n, -məd.ə̇n noun
( -s )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary chromat- + -in; originally formed in German
1.
a.
(1) : the part of a cell nucleus that stains intensely with basic dyes and is usually divisible into more stainable basichromatin and less stainable oxychromatin and linin — not used technically
(2) : a cytoplasmic constituent that because of similar staining reactions is considered identical with nuclear chromatin — not used technically
b. : an ampholytic complex of highly polymerized deoxyribose nucleic acid with basic proteins of protamine or histone type that exhibits differential staining of various parts of the complex at different periods in the nuclear cycle prob. due to fluctuation in the degree of polymerization, that is regarded as the physical carrier of genes, and that is typically manifest in chromomeres which in mitosis form chromosomes
2. : karyotin
• chro·ma·tin·ic | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|tinik adjective