Responses of endothelial cells to hypotonic solutions: lack of regulatory volume decrease.
Hypotonic stress (HTS) activates a Cl- current and releases intracellular Ca2+ in vascular endothelial cells, but there is no co-activation of K(+)-channels. The concomitant increase in cell volume, as assessed from the changes in endothelial cell thickness, is not followed by a regulatory volume decrease (RVD). This lack compensation of the volume increase may be explained by the absence of a concomitant activation of a K+ outward current, resulting in an insufficient efflux of osmolytes during HTS.
KU Leuven, Department of Physiology, Campus Gasthuisberg, Belgium.
P
P
De Smet
M
M
Oike
G
G
Droogmans
W
W
Van Driessche
B
B
Nilius
D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D016257:Fura-2; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
D018118:Chloride Channels; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D016257:Fura-2