A myelocyte is a young cell of the granulocytic series, occurring normally in bone marrow (can be found in circulating blood when caused by certain diseases).

When stained with the usual dyes, the cytoplasm is distinctly basophilic and relatively more abundant than in myeloblasts or promyelocytes, even though myelocytes are smaller cells.

Numerous cytoplasmic granules are present in the more mature forms of myelocytes.

The nuclear chromatin is coarser than that observed in a promyelocyte, but it is relatively faintly stained and lacks a well-defined membrane.

The nucleus is fairly regular in contour (not indented), and seems to be 'buried' beneath the numerous cytoplasmic granules.