(noun. /LIE-sihs/)
by Nicole Gadda
What does it mean?
Lysis is the process in which cells burst open and their inner contents spill out into the environment. Much like popping a balloon, one way that lysis can occur is by poking holes through the cell wall or membrane. Another way lysis can occur is by breaking down the cell wall or membrane through the use of chemicals like lysozyme, detergents (chemicals like soaps), or physical force. Even things like viruses can cause lysis. Viruses can copy themselves (in a process called replication) inside cells and then burst through the cell membrane to infect other cells. Many scientists intentionally cause lysis in cells they are working with so they can access useful things inside the cell, like DNA, RNA, or proteins that are normally protected by a cell wall or membrane. You may have read about different protocols in our Technique section that use lysis, like DNA extraction or flow cytometry.
How do I use it in a sentence?
The molecular biology professor directed the students to induce lysis on their samples to break down the cell wall and extract DNA.
Etymology
The word “lysis” originated from the Greek word lúsis, which means “a loosening.”
Related terms
Fields of study in which this word is commonly used
Microbiology
Biology
Cell biology
