Koilocyte

Koilocytes ( gr κοίλος, koilos = empty, convex) are the result of infection with human papillomavirus ( HPV) pathologically altered squamous cells, which are morphologically characterized by a around the nucleus located, sharply defined optically empty field. These cells can include other changes, such as enlargement or shrinkage ( pyknosis ) of the cell nucleus, a double - or polynuclear or any coarsened and amplified dyeable ( hyperchromatisches ) chromatin.

The occurrence of koilocytes within an epithelium is also referred to as koilocytosis.