Ammonium toxicity in different cell lines.
The toxic effect of ammonium upon a variety of cell lines of lymphoid (Jurkat), pituitary (GH(4)), and renal (LLC-PK(1)) origin was studied. Millimolar concentrations of the ion mildly affected the growth of GH(4) cells and prevented the growth of LLC-PK(1) cells. The ion did not lead to the death of LLC-PK(1) cells but it produced morphologic changes in these cells. The effects of ammonium upon Jurkat cells were different because cells died after accumulating at S phase. Cell death was due to apoptosis and might be related to ammonium-induced calcium mobilization from intracellular stores. These results indicate that the toxic effects caused by ammonium accumulation are different depending upon the cell type. (c) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 56: 530-537, 1997.
Mirabet
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Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: 34-3-4021208; fax: 34-3-4021219.
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Lopez
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Mallol
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Lluis
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Franco
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