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Lysis (Greek
Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
 , lysis from lyein = to separate) refers to the death of a cell by breaking of the cellular membrane, often by viral or osmotic mechanisms that compromise its integrity. A solution containing the contents of lysed cells is called a "lysate".

Applications
Cell lysis (splitting of cells) is used mostly in western blotting to analyze the composition of specific proteins, lipids and nucleic acids individually or as complexes.






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Lysis (Greek
Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
 , lysis from lyein = to separate) refers to the death of a cell by breaking of the cellular membrane, often by viral or osmotic mechanisms that compromise its integrity. A solution containing the contents of lysed cells is called a "lysate".

Applications


Cell lysis (splitting of cells) is used mostly in western blotting to analyze the composition of specific proteins, lipids and nucleic acids individually or as complexes. Depending upon the detergent
Detergent

A detergent is a material intended to assist cleaning. The term is sometimes used to differentiate between soap and other surfactants used for cleaning....
 that is used either all membranes are lysed or certain membranes are lysed, leaving other membranes intact. For example if the cell membrane
Cell membrane

The cell membrane is the interface between the cellular machinery inside the cell and the fluid outside.It is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all cell ....
 only is lysed then gradient centrifugation can be used to collect certain organelle
Organelle

In cell biology, an organelle is a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function, and is usually separately enclosed within its own lipid membrane....
s - microscopy
Cell nucleus

In cell biology, the nucleus , also sometimes referred to as the "control center", is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in all eukaryote cell ....
 or western blotting.

Cytolysis

Cytolysis is the lysis of cells
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
 in a hypotonic
Tonicity

Tonicity measures the ability of a solution to exert an osmotic pressure upon the membrane. Osmolality and osmolarity measure concentration of the solutes independently on their ability to cross the membrane....
 environment. Cytolysis is caused by excessive osmosis
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
, or movement of water, towards the inside of a cell (hyperhydration). The cell membrane
Cell membrane

The cell membrane is the interface between the cellular machinery inside the cell and the fluid outside.It is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all cell ....
 cannot withstand the osmotic pressure
Osmotic pressure

Osmotic pressure is the Fluid_statics#Hydrostatic_pressure produced by a difference in concentration between solutions on the two sides of a surface such as a differentially permeable membrane....
 of the water inside, and so it explodes. Osmosis occurs from a region of high water potential to a region of low water potential passing through a semipermeable membrane
Semipermeable membrane

A semipermeable membrane, also termed a selectively-permeable membrane, a partially-permeable membrane or a differentially-permeable membrane, is a membrane that will allow certain molecules or ions to pass through it by diffusion and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion." The rate of passage depends on the press...
, so these bursting cells are located in hypotonic environments.

Cytolysis can be prevented by several different mechanisms, including the contractile vacuole
Contractile vacuole

A contractile vacuole is a sub-cellular structure involved in osmoregulation. It pumps excess water out of a Cell and is found prominently in freshwater protists....
 that exists in some paramecia
Paramecium

Paramecia, also known as Lady Slippers, due to their appearance, are a group of unicellular ciliate protozoa, which are commonly studied as a representative of the ciliate group, and range from about 50 to 350 micrometre in length, Simple cilia cover the body, which allow the cell to move with a synchronous motion ....
 which rapidly pump water out of the cell.

Cytolysis does not occur under normal conditions in plant cells because plant cells have a strong cell wall that contains the osmotic pressure, or turgor pressure, that would otherwise cause cytolysis to occur.

Plasmolysis

Rhoeo Discolor Plasmolysis
Plasmolysis is the contraction of cell
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
s within plants due to the loss of water through osmosis
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
. In a hypertonic
Tonicity

Tonicity measures the ability of a solution to exert an osmotic pressure upon the membrane. Osmolality and osmolarity measure concentration of the solutes independently on their ability to cross the membrane....
 environment, the cell membrane peels off of the cell wall
Cell wall

A cell wall is a tough, flexible and sometimes fairly rigid layer that surrounds some types of cell . It is located outside the cell membrane and provides these cells with structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mechanism....
 and the vacuole
Vacuole

A vacuole is a membrane organelle which is present in all eukaryotic cells. Vacuoles are essentially enclosed compartments which are filled with fluid such as water or various enzymes, though in certain cases they may contain solids which have been engulfed....
 collapses. These cells will eventually wilt and die unless the flow of water caused by osmosis can stop the contraction of the cell membrane
Cell membrane

The cell membrane is the interface between the cellular machinery inside the cell and the fluid outside.It is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all cell ....
.

See also

  • Cell disruption
    Cell disruption

    Cell disruption is a method or process for releasing biological molecules from inside a cell....
  • Hemolysis
    Hemolysis

    Hemolysis ?from the Greek Hemo-, Greek language meaning blood, -lysis, meaning to break open?is the breaking open of red blood cells and the release of hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid ....
  • Lysogenic
  • Crenation
    Crenation

    Crenation is the contraction or formation of abnormal notchings around the edges of a cell after exposure to a Tonicity#Hypertonicity, due to the loss of water through osmosis....