Differential behavior of glial and neuronal cells exposed to hypotonic solution.
The comparative modes of swelling of glial and neuronal cells were examined by video-enhanced differential interference contrast (VEC) microscopy. When exposed to hypotonic solution, C6 cells swelled slowly to 5 times their normal volume and burst, whereas N18 cells swelled more rapidly, forming blebs, and then burst partially. The time to burst was 410.6 +/- 45.7 s (mean +/- SD, n = 5) for C6, and 69.3 +/- 10.4 s (n = 5, p < 0.01) for N18, respectively. The present findings suggest a great difference in physical strength of the cell membrane between glial and neuronal cells: the former cell membrane appears to be elastic and tolerant to high tension, while the latter cell membrane is relatively weak.
Tomita
M
M
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Fukuuchi
Y
Y
Terakawa
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001254:Astrocytoma; D001932:Brain Neoplasms; D002460:Cell Line; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*