title: Ammonia-induced astrocyte swelling in primary culture.
abstract: The effect of ammonia on water space of astrocytes in culture was determined as a means of studying the neurotoxicity of ammonia in fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Treatment of primary astrocyte cultures obtained from neonatal rat cortices with 10 mM NH4Cl for 4 days resulted in a 29% increase in astrocytic water space, as measured by an isotopic method utilizing 3-O-methyl-[3H]-glucose. This effect was time- and dose-dependent. The ammonia-induced swelling was reversible as the water space in cultures treated with 10 mH NH4Cl for 3 days, and then returned to normal culture media for 1 day, was similar to control cultures. These findings suggest that elevated levels of ammonia lead to astrocyte swelling and may contribute to the brain edema in FHF.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropathology, Veterans Administration Medical center, Miami, FL.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Norenberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Norenberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blicharska
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bruce-Gregorios
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Neary
mesh_terms: D019325:3-O-Methylglucose; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007700:Kinetics; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D008757:Methylglucosides; D000643:Ammonium Chloride; D014316:Tritium; D019325:3-O-Methylglucose