1. A substance, typically a protein or toxin, that causes the destruction or lysis of red blood cells, releasing hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid.
Usage: technical; medical/biological term; also spelled haemolysin in British English

Examples

• The bacterial hemolysin damaged the patient's red blood cells during the infection.
• Certain snake venoms contain hemolysins that break down blood cell membranes.
• The laboratory test detected hemolysin activity in the serum sample.
• Streptococcal hemolysins are virulence factors that help the bacteria evade the immune system.
• The hemolysin produced by the pathogen caused hemolytic anemia in the infected host.