What is Cytolysis?
Cytolysis is a cell death which occurs as the result of a rupture in the cell’s membrane. When a cell experiences cytolysis, it bursts, scattering its contents in the process. A number of things can cause cytolysis. This process is very different from apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in which a cell gradually shuts itself down, or is triggered to do so by another cell. The cytotoxic (or “toxic to cells”) cells in the immune system often utilize apoptosis to neutralize infected cells. A common reason for cytolysis to occur is an interruption in the osmotic balance. Normally, bodily fluids make up an isotonic solution, meaning that their balance of salts is similar to the cells, and cells experience no net loss or gain as water and salts flow through them. This allows cells to stay healthy, and it provides a way for them to be flushed to remove toxins and refreshed with necessary minerals and other compounds. If the body fluid becomes hypotonic, meaning that it is a solution of lower
