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.
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
M
M
Tomita
Y
Y
Fukuuchi
S
S
Terakawa
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*