title: On the osmotically unresponsive water compartment in cells.
abstract: Differences in colligative properties (freezing point, boiling point, vapor pressure and osmotic behavior) between water in living cells and pure bulk water were investigated by re-evaluating reports of the osmotic behavior of mammalian cells. In five different animal cells, osmotically unresponsive water (OUW) values ranged from 1.1 to 2.2 g per g dry mass. Detailed analysis of human red blood cell (RBC) data indicates a major role for hemoglobin OUW-values, aggregation and packing in cell volume regulation that can be explained for the first time in relevant molecular terms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, USA. fullerton@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Fullerton
authors.forename: Kalpana M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kanal
authors.forename: Ivan L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Cameron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D044366:Transition Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014867:Water