Liquefactive necrosis is characteristic of focal bacterial or, occasionally, fungal infections, because microbes stimulate the accumulation of inflammatory cells.

For obscure reasons, hypoxic death of cells within the central nervous system often evokes liquefactive necrosis. Whatever the pathogenesis, liquefaction completely digests the dead cells.

The end result is transformation of the tissue into a liquid viscous mass. If the process was initiated by acute inflammation, the material is frequently creamy yellow because of the presence of dead white cells and is called pus.

See also

 Necrosis