autolysisn.
/ɔːˈtɒlᵻsɪs/, U.S. /ɔˈtɑləsəs/, /ɑˈtɑləsəs/ Biology and Medicine.
The destruction of cells or tissues by enzymes present within them, occurring after death or as part of a pathological process.
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > lysis > [noun]
autodigestion1879
plasmolysis1883
cytolysis1896
phagolysis1898
autolysis1900
heterolysis1902
lysis1902
trypanolysis1905
chromatolysis1908
oncolysis1928
plasmolysability1950
induction1951
lysogenization1953
lysogenizing1961
1900 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 58 ii. 672 The autolysis differs in many important particulars from tryptic activity, particularly in selecting the globulins of the liver for destruction.
1920 H. G. Wells Chem. Pathol. (ed. 4) xv. 389 This results from the action of juice which has been activated by enterokinase, or by products of pancreatic autolysis which have a similar effect.
1954 H. W. Florey Lect. Gen. Pathol. xxxiv. 643 In the necrotic material produced by the presence of the tubercle bacillus enough autolysis occurs for the cells to lose their structure.
1993 Wine May (Champagne Suppl.) 7/1 When the second fermentation is over, the yeast dies, forming a sediment, but it still has an equally important task to complete, autolysis, which contributes to the wine's ‘champagny’ character.
2005 New Scientist 17 Sept. 89/4 For a body to putrefy in a grave there needs to be enough moisture to allow tissue breakdown both from autolysis and from the action of micro-organisms.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1900