lyse
Break cell membranes
To lyse is to cause a cell to break apart, rupturing its membrane and releasing its contents.
The term appears in biology and medicine, particularly in discussions of how viruses, antibodies, or chemicals destroy cells: The bacteriophage lyses the bacterial cell wall.
The noun form is lysis.
Basic unit of life
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- cytolysisCell destruction by rupture
- enzymeProtein that hastens reactions
- proteaseProtein-cleaving enzyme
lipase · phospholipids · hemolysis · osmotic · permeability · rupture · vesicle · organelle
Violent tearing apart
- burstBreak apart suddenly
- breakInterrupt continuity
- fragmentIncomplete portion of whole
- disintegrateBreak into fragments
dissolve · decompose · split · cleave · separate · tear · shatter · breach
Protein targeting foreign substances
- immunotherapyDisease treatment via body's defenses
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
- cancerUncontrolled cell proliferation disease
- viralSpreading quickly online
bacteriophage · treatment · target · destroy · infection · pathogen · complement · antigen
cell
Basic unit of life
protease · lipase · phospholipids · hemolysis · osmotic · permeability · rupture · vesicle · organelle · lytic
rupture
Violent tearing apart
disintegrate · dissolve · decompose · split · cleave · separate · tear · shatter · breach · perforate
antibody
Protein targeting foreign substances
- immunotherapyDisease treatment via body's defenses
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
- cancerUncontrolled cell proliferation disease
viral · bacteriophage · treatment · target · destroy · infection · pathogen · complement · antigen · chimeric
enzyme
Protein that hastens reactions
catalyze · substrate · peptide · protein · cleavage · bond · digestion · metabolism · reagent · buffer
- cell lysisCell membrane destruction
- osmotic lysisCell rupture from water imbalance
analysis, paralysis, dialysis, catalysis, lysis, hydrolysis, lysosome, lysate, autolysis