The stages of granulocytic lineage development are presented in Diagram of hematopoiesis

• have large (more than 80% of cytoplasmic volume) rounded or elliptical nuclei with small granules of chromatin
• have a slightly basophilic cytoplasm with no granules
• divide by mitosis
• are not specific precursors of a certain granulocytic lineage

Myeloblasts q.v. #1, #2, #3. Myeloblasts in mitosis q.v. #1, #2

• are large cells 16-22 μm in diameter
• have rounded or elliptical nuclei
• have a slightly basophilic cytoplasm; during the cell maturation it accumulates non-specific (azurophilic) granules with a high activity of acid phosphatase and myeloperoxidase (these are lysosomes)
• have no specific granules because there is still no difference between precursor cells of various granulocytic lineages
• divide actively

Promyelocytes with a varying number of non-specific granules q.v. #1, #2, #3, #4. Promyelocytes in mitosis q.v. #1, #2, #3

• are sized 12 to 18 μm
• have rounded nuclei or elliptical nuclei with some heterochromatin
• have a clear cytoplasm, which may be slightly oxyphilic or slightly basophilic
• during the cell maturation the number of non-specific granules goes down while thenumber of specific ones increases
• are classified by size and staining of specific granules into neutrophilic, acidophilic, and basophilic
• represent the last step of granulocytic lineage to exhibit a mitotic activity

Neutrophilic myelocytes q.v. #1, #2, #3, #4 (mitosis). Acidophilic myelocytes q.v. #1, #2, #3, #4 (mitosis). Basophilic myelocytes q.v. #1, #2, #3

• are sized 12 to 18 μm
• have nuclei with invaginations (bean-shaped); the nuclei are dense (heterochromatin prevails)
• have many specific granules in the cytoplasm
• have no mitotic activity
• become juvenile granulocytes when coming to the peripheral blood

Neutrophilic metamyelocytes q.v. #1, #2, #3. Eosinophilic metamyelocytes q.v. #1, #2. Basophilic metamyelocyte q.v.

• their nucleus is С or S shaped while chromatin is more and more condensed
• are filled by specific granules in their cytoplasm
• have no potential to divide
• are found in the peripheral blood

Band shaped neutrophils q.v. #1, #2, #3. Band-shaped eosinophils q.v. #1, #2. Band-shaped basophil q.v.

• are present at the last stage of granulocytopoiesis
• have nuclei with bridges that segregate them into lobes (segments)
• have 3-5 segments of nuclei in neutrophils, while eosinophils are bilobed, and basophils do not always exhibit a segmented structure of nuclei
• have specific granules filling the cytoplasm
• do not divide
• circulate in the blood stream for several hours upon leaving the bone marrow, then migrating to other tissues to exert certain specific functions

Segmented neutrophils q.v. #1, #2. Segmented eosinophils q.v. #1, #2. Mature basophil