Definition of Autolysis

1. Noun. Lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process.

Exact synonyms: Self-digestion
Generic synonyms: Lysis
Derivative terms: Autolytic

Definition of Autolysis

1. Noun. (context: pathology cytology) The destruction of an organism's cells by enzymes produced by the organism itself. ¹

2. Noun. (pathology) The autodigestion of the tissues of an organism. ¹

3. Noun. (pathology) The autocytolysis of blood cells. ¹

4. Noun. The decomposition of dead yeast cells in wine after fermentation. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Autolysis

1. [n -LYSES]

Medical Definition of Autolysis

1. Spontaneous lysis (rupture) of cells or organelles produced by the release of internal hydrolyic enzymes. Normally associated with the release of lysosomal enzymes. (02 Jan 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Autolysis

autologous bone marrow transplant
autologous graft
autologous protein
autologous transplant
autology
autoloom
autolooms
autolysate
autolysates
autolyse
autolysed
autolyses
autolysin
autolysing
autolysins
autolysis (current term)
autolysosomal
autolysosome
autolysosomes
autolytic
autolytic enzyme
autolyzate
autolyzates
autolyze
autolyzed
autolyzes
autolyzing
automagic
automagical
automagically

Literary usage of Autolysis

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Chemical Pathology: Being a Discussion of General Pathology from the by Harry Gideon Wells (1914)
"According to Soula 37a narcotic poisons decrease, and convulsive poisons increase the rate of autolysis of nervous tissue. RELATION OF autolysis TO ..."

2. The Journal of Infectious Diseases by Infectious Diseases Society of America, John Rockefeller McCormick Memorial Fund, John McCormick Institute for Infectious Diseases (1914)
"Various degrees of autolysis of the bacteria, therefore, must have taken place, depending on the strain of organism studied and the length of incubation. ..."

3. Molecular Neurobiology: Proceedings of the Second Nimh Conference by Steven Zalcman (1995)
"Selective activation of latent MPC activities by autolysis provides a mechanism for regulation of this proteinase. ..."

4. The Journal of Experimental Medicine by Rockefeller University, Rockefeller Institute, Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (1922)
"Kidney convoluted tubules are very sensitive to autolysis. Usually they are completely digested in 8 or 10 hours. The remainder of the kidney parenchyma ..."

5. A Text-book of Physiological Chemistry by Olof Hammarsten, Sven Gustaf Hedin (1914)
"As the animal organs consist chiefly of protein substances the autolysis ... autolysis was first observed and studied by SALKOWSKI and his pupils with liver ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Autolysis on Dictionary.com!Search for Autolysis on Thesaurus.com!Search for Autolysis on Google!Search for Autolysis on Wikipedia!

Search