ABSTRACT
In biochemistry, the term lysis refers to the dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria. For instance, the disintegration of a cell resulting from the destruction of its membrane by a chemical substance (e.g., an antibody) is often fostered by enzymes (Section 9.3). The action of enzymes results in the chemical subprocess of catalysis (see Figure 9.1), which literally refers to the effect of lowering the process activation energy. In the context of ecological processes, we shall refer to this process as the biological degradation of organic matter (see e.g., Chapter 17).
