When tissue becomes necrotic, what color does it take?

When tissue becomes necrotic, what color does it take?

• A. White
• B. Red
• C. Gray
• D. Black

Answer: (D)

When tissue dies, its appearance reflects what’s happening to blood flow, moisture, and pigments. In gangrenous necrosis, the tissue commonly becomes black. Dry gangrene dries out and dehydrates the tissue, causing it to darken to black as proteins denature and pigments concentrate. In infected (wet) gangrene, decay and bacterial activity can also produce dark colors, including black, through pigment changes and compounds like iron sulfide. Other types of necrosis have different hues—for example, coagulative necrosis often looks grayish, while caseous necrosis is white and crumbly—so the deep black color is a hallmark of gangrenous necrosis.

When tissue dies, its appearance reflects what’s happening to blood flow, moisture, and pigments. In gangrenous necrosis, the tissue commonly becomes black. Dry gangrene dries out and dehydrates the tissue, causing it to darken to black as proteins denature and pigments concentrate. In infected (wet) gangrene, decay and bacterial activity can also produce dark colors, including black, through pigment changes and compounds like iron sulfide. Other types of necrosis have different hues—for example, coagulative necrosis often looks grayish, while caseous necrosis is white and crumbly—so the deep black color is a hallmark of gangrenous necrosis.