hemolyze
/ˈhē-mə-ˌlīz/ (ame, mw)
hemolyze — verb
- hemolyzepresent simple I / you / we / they
- hemolyzes3rd person singular
- hemolyzing-ing form
- hemolyzedpast simple
1. If a substance or treatment hemolyzes red blood cells, it makes them break open
If a substance or treatment hemolyzes red blood cells, it makes them break open so that their contents leak out into the surrounding liquid.
The toxin from the snake venom hemolyzes red blood cells within minutes.
transitive: hemolyzes + direct object (red blood cells)
The experimental drug hemolyzed the blood cells of patients in the safety trial.
transitive: drug + hemolyzed + cells
High concentrations of cleaning solution can hemolyze any blood sample left overnight.
- lyse
Broader term — 'lyse' can refer to breaking any cell type, while 'hemolyze' is specific to red blood cells.
- break down
Less precise, non-technical alternative. 'Break down' describes any type of decomposition, not the specific rupture of red blood cells.
文法句型
hemolyze + noun phrase (direct object)
用法筆記
This is a specialised medical term used mainly in clinical laboratories and biomedical research writing. It is rarely used in everyday conversation.
2. When red blood cells hemolyze, they break open and release their contents, often
When red blood cells hemolyze, they break open and release their contents, often because of a disease, chemical substance, or change in the surrounding environment.
The red blood cells hemolyzed after the lab assistant left the sample out too long.
intransitive: cells + hemolyzed (no direct object)
Fragile red blood cells in sickle cell patients hemolyze more easily than normal ones.
frequency adverb: hemolyze + more easily
The blood sample hemolyzed during transport, so the nurse had to draw a fresh one.
文法句型
red blood cells / sample + hemolyze
用法筆記
The subject is always red blood cells (or a synonym such as 'erythrocytes' or 'sample'). This sense is intransitive — there is no direct object receiving the action.