Coagulative necrosis is characteristically seen in infarcts of all organs EXCEPT the brain. The reason brain infarcts show liquefactive necrosis is:

• A The brain has no structural proteins to maintain tissue architecture
• B Brain infarcts always become infected, converting coagulative to liquefactive necrosis
• C High glucose concentration in brain tissue prevents protein denaturation
• D The brain has rich lipid content and abundant hydrolytic enzymes from microglia/macrophages that liquefy the tissue ✓

Explanation

The brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis because its tissue is rich in lipids and contains abundant hydrolytic enzymes (from activated microglia and macrophages) that rapidly dissolve the dead tissue. In other organs, protein denaturation outpaces enzymatic digestion, preserving cell outlines (coagulative necrosis). Infection is not required; even sterile brain infarcts liquefy.

Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.