Can ammonium chloride lyse red blood cells?

Yes, ammonium chloride can lyse red blood cells due to its ability to cause osmotic lysis. When red blood cells are exposed to a hypotonic solution, such as ammonium chloride, water moves into the cells, causing them to swell and eventually rupture. This process is known as osmotic lysis.

The concentration of ammonium chloride required to lyse red blood cells depends on several factors, including the temperature and pH of the solution, as well as the specific type of red blood cells being used. Generally, a concentration of around 0.9% ammonium chloride is sufficient to lyse human red blood cells.

Osmotic lysis is a common method for lysing red blood cells in the laboratory. It is often used in procedures such as blood typing and DNA extraction.