Third person singular present tense of hemolyze; the process by which red blood cells rupture and release their hemoglobin.
From 'hemo-' (blood) + Greek 'lysis' (loosening), following the pattern of verbs like 'analyze' and 'paralyze.' The term emerged in 19th-century hematology as scientists studied red blood cell destruction mechanisms.
If you put red blood cells in pure water, osmotic pressure hemolyzes them almost instantly—the water rushes in, the cell swells like a balloon, and *pop*—it's a dramatic demonstration of cell membranes and osmosis.
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