In-Vitro Elucidation of Mechanisms Underlying Cell Swelling and Death of Nerve and Glial Cells

Notwithstanding that the control of a normal cell volume seems to assume a high cell biological priority, as demonstrated by the spontaneous normalisation of the cell volume following anosmotic exposure, the cellular swelling response may also have important functions to support the homeostasis. Prominent examples are the clearance of excessive K+or glutamate concentrations from the interstitial compartment in order to defend a normal neuronal function. This requires not only physiological transmembrane Nat and K+-concentration gradients, but also an absence, or at least very low levels of excitatory transmitter compounds in the perisynaptic (interstitial) compartment. Yet, cell swelling may also reflect sequelae of cell injury, may be even an early indication of impending cell death. For example, cell swelling from arachidonic acid or higher levels of acidosis may eventually merge into an irreversible insult of a viable cell.