Cell lysis is the process of destruction or dissolution of a cell. This process occurs naturally during digestion or when fighting infections and can also be reproduced in a laboratory. When recreating this process, there are physical, chemical, and biological agents that will result in the destruction of the cell.

• Chemical
  • Detergents are used to react with the cell in a way that disintegrates the membrane.
• Physical
  • Osmotic shock is when a medium forces excess water into the cell causing the cell membrane to burst under pressure. Additionally, ultrasound is when vibrations generate stress on the cells suspension putting the membrane again under pressure from within.
• Biological
  • Bacteria and viruses can infiltrate the cell and absorb the contents using them to multiply.

Cell lysis is a very important unit operation and replicating these processes is not only beneficial for protein purification for studying protein function, cancer diagnostics, drug screening, but also for wastewater treatment.