Granulopoiesis is the process of granulocyte formation. Bone marrow stem cells differentiate into all three types of granulocytes.

Myeloblast is a cell that has a large spherical nucleus containing delicate euchromatin and several nucleoli. It has a basophilic cytoplasm and no granules. Myeloblasts divide differentiate to form smaller promyelocytes.

Promyelocyte is a cell that contains a large spherical indented nucleus with coarse condensed chromatin. The cytoplasm is basophilic and contains peripheral azurophi-lic granules.

Myelocyte is the last cell in this series capable of division. The nucleus becomes increasingly heterochromatic with subsequent divisions. Specific granules arise from the Golgi apparatus, resulting in neutrophilic, eosinophilic, and basophilic myelocytes.

Metamyelocyte is a cell whose indented nucleus exhibits lobe formation that is characteristic of the neutrophil, eos-inophil, or basophil. The cytoplasm contains azurophilic granules and increasing numbers of specific granules. This cell does not divide. Granulocytes are the definitive cells that enter the blood. Neutrophilic granulocytes exhibit an intermediate stage called the band neutrophil. This is the first cell of this series to appear in the peripheral blood.