Hemolysis
When red cell membranes are damaged, hemoglobin and
other dissolved contents may escape from the cells,
leaving the membranous structures as “ghosts.” This
process, called hemolysis, is produced not only by the
osmotic effects of water but by numerous other mechanisms.
These include physical damage to red cells, as when
blood is heated, is forced under great pressure through
a small needle, or is subjected to freezing and thawing;
chemical damage to red cells by agents such as bile
salts, detergents, and certain snake venoms; and damage
caused by immunologic reactions that may occur when
antibodies attach to red cells in the presence of complement.
When such destruction proceeds at a greater than normal
rate, hemolytic anemia results (see blood diseases).
