euchromatin

An expanded region of *chromatin in the interphase nucleus, which stains lightly with basic dyes. Metabolically active nuclei show large amounts of euchromatin. Autoradiographic investigations support the view that messenger RNA is transcribed in the euchromatic regions, but the amount of euchromatin is related to the number of genes being transcribed rather than the amount of mRNA produced. Compare heterochromatin.