Lysis

Lysis is the disintegration of a cell or its components, typically by rupture of the cell membrane and release of the cellular contents. The term is used across biology, medicine, and laboratory technique to describe processes that destroy cells or dissolve structures. In laboratory contexts, lysis enables extraction of cellular material such as DNA, RNA, or proteins and can be achieved by osmotic, enzymatic, chemical, or mechanical means.

Osmotic lysis occurs when cells are placed in a hypotonic solution, causing water influx and swelling until the membrane ruptures. Enzymatic lysis uses enzymes that break down cell walls or membranes, such as lysozyme for bacteria or proteases for proteins. Chemical lysis employs detergents and solvents to solubilize lipid membranes and denature proteins; physical methods include sonication or grinding.

In virology and microbiology, lysis often refers to the rupture of host cells due to phage replication in the lytic cycle, which releases new virions. Some viruses instead integrate into the host genome in a lysogenic cycle, avoiding immediate lysis.

In medicine, thrombolysis describes the enzymatic breakdown of clots. Drugs that promote thrombolysis, such as plasminogen activators (for example, tissue plasminogen activator) and streptokinase, activate plasmin to digest fibrin and dissolve clots.

A related term is hemolysis, the lysis of red blood cells. Lysis can therefore refer to several processes that end in the rupture or dissolution of cellular structures.