A cell with a damaged cell membrane typically dies from what process?

When a cell experiences damage to its membrane, lysis is the process that often leads to cell death. This occurs because the cell membrane is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the cell's internal environment. When the membrane is compromised, the cell can no longer regulate the movement of ions and molecules in and out, leading to an imbalance that can cause the cell to swell and eventually burst.

Lysis is characterized by the uncontrolled influx of water and solutes into the cell, which can happen due to the increased permeability of the damaged membrane. This results in the rupture of the cell and the release of its contents into the surrounding environment. This mechanism is distinct from other processes such as apoptosis, which is a regulated form of cell death, and necrosis, which refers to death caused by injury or infection but typically involves inflammation and is not solely due to membrane damage. Endocytosis, on the other hand, is a process of taking in substances via the cell membrane and is unrelated to cell death.

Thus, because lysis directly results from the failure of the cell membrane's structural integrity, it is the appropriate choice in describing the process that typically leads to death in a cell with a damaged membrane.