Measurement of changes in cell volume based on fluorescence quenching

1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (4) ◽  
pp. C1405-C1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Srinivas ◽  
J. A. Bonanno

The intracellular fluorescence of 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-quinolinium (SPQ), a Cl(-) -sensitive fluorescent dye, is quenched by intracellular organic anions and proteins of unknown identity. The concentration of these intracellular quenchers (ICQs), however, is dependent on cell volume. In the absence of Cl-, changes in the observed SPQ fluorescence may therefore reflect changes in cell volume. This concept has been applied to determine relative changes in cell volume of cultured corneal endothelium in response to anisosmotic shocks, using NO3- as the Cl- substituent. SPQ fluorescence increased with decreasing osmolarity and vice versa. A 20 mosM hypertonic shock was needed to detect a change in SPQ fluorescence with a signal-to-noise ratio of >25. Assuming dynamic quenching by ICQs, we applied an extension of the Stern-Volmer equation to develop a simple relationship between the measured SPQ fluorescence and relative changes in cell volume. For large hyposmotic shocks, regulatory volume decrease (RVD) was observed. The rate of RVD could be enhanced by exposure to 0.5 microM gramicidin in low-Na+ Ringer solution (i.e., K+-NO3- efflux), indicating that K+ conductance is rate limiting for RVD. These results demonstrate the principle of using fluorescence quenching to measure changes in cell volume in real time. Because SPQ is sensitive to Cl-, its usefulness as a quenching probe is limited. However, a structure-activity study can be expected to yield useful Cl(-)-insensitive analogs.

1977 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 537-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Cala

The nucleated high K, low Na red blood cells of the winter flounder demonstrated a volume regulatory response subsequent to osmotic swelling or shrinkage. During volume regulation the net water flow was secondary to net inorganic cation flux. Volume regulation the net water flow was secondary to net inorganic cation flux. Volume regulation after osmotic swelling is referred to as regulatory volume decrease (RVD) and was characterized by net K and water loss. Since the electrochemical gradient for K is directed out of the cell there is no need to invoke active processes to explain RVD. When osmotically shrunken, the flounder erythrocyte demonstrated a regulatory volume increase (RVI) back toward control cell volume. The water movements characteristic of RVI were a consequence of net cellular NaCl and KCl uptake with Na accounting for 75 percent of the increase in intracellular cation content. Since the Na electrochemical gradient is directed into the cell, net Na uptake was the result of Na flux via dissipative pathways. The addition of 10(-4)M ouabain to suspensions of flounder erythrocytes was without effect upon net water movements during volume regulation. The presence of ouabain did however lead to a decreased ration of intracellular K:Na. Analysis of net Na and K fluxes in the presence and absence of ouabain led to the conclusion that Na and K fluxes via both conservative and dissipative pathways are increased in response to osmotic swelling or shrinkage. In addition, the Na and K flux rate through both pump and leak pathways decreased in a parallel fashion as cell volume was regulated. Taken as a whole, the Na and K movements through the flounder erythrocyte membrane demonstrated a functional dependence during volume regulation.


1982 ◽  
Vol 242 (6) ◽  
pp. F733-F739 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Warnock ◽  
W. W. Reenstra ◽  
V. J. Yee

Fluorescence quenching of acridine orange was used to characterize the generation and collapse of pH gradients by the Na+/H+ antiporter of brush border membrane vesicles prepared from rabbit renal cortex. Quenching was observed when acridine orange, a weak base, was taken up to an acidic intravesicular space. Na+/H+ exchange was examined with both Na+ uptake and efflux studies. Acridine orange fluorescence quenching demonstrated the cation specificity of the Na+/H+ antiporter (i.e., sodium and lithium) and was inhibited by amiloride. Parallel studies with nigericin, a K+/H+ antiporter, demonstrated that acridine orange responded very rapidly to pH gradients. Therefore, acridine orange equilibration was not rate limiting in our studies of the Na+/H+ antiporter. Initial rate measurements were made to obtain kinetic parameters for the Na+/H+ antiporter. In sodium influx studies, the half-maximal rate of acridine orange fluorescence change was obtained with an external sodium concentration of 13.3 +/- 0.5 mM.


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. C315-C326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire H. Mitchell ◽  
Johannes C. Fleischhauer ◽  
W. Daniel Stamer ◽  
K. Peterson-Yantorno ◽  
Mortimer M. Civan

The volume of certain subpopulations of trabecular meshwork (TM) cells may modify outflow resistance of aqueous humor, thereby altering intraocular pressure. This study examines the contribution that Na+/H+, Cl−/HCO[Formula: see text]exchange, and K+-Cl− efflux mechanisms have on the volume of TM cells. Volume, Cl− currents, and intracellular Ca2+ activity of cultured human TM cells were studied with calcein fluorescence, whole cell patch clamping, and fura 2 fluorescence, respectively. At physiological bicarbonate concentration, the selective Na+/H+ antiport inhibitor dimethylamiloride reduced isotonic cell volume. Hypotonicity triggered a regulatory volume decrease (RVD), which could be inhibited by the Cl− channel blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), the K+channel blockers Ba2+ and tetraethylammonium, and the K+-Cl− symport blocker [(dihydroindenyl)oxy]alkanoic acid. The fluid uptake mechanism in isotonic conditions was dependent on bicarbonate; at physiological levels, the Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor dimethylamiloride reduced cell volume, whereas at low levels the Na+-K+-2Cl− symport inhibitor bumetanide had the predominant effect. Patch-clamp measurements showed that hypotonicity activated an outwardly rectifying, NPPB-sensitive Cl− channel displaying the permeability ranking Cl− > methylsulfonate > aspartate. 2,3-Butanedione 2-monoxime antagonized actomyosin activity and both increased baseline [Ca2+] and abolished swelling-activated increase in [Ca2+], but it did not affect RVD. Results indicate that human TM cells display a Ca2+-independent RVD and that volume is regulated by swelling-activated K+ and Cl− channels, Na+/H+ antiports, and possibly K+-Cl− symports in addition to Na+-K+-2Cl− symports.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 973-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanina Netti ◽  
Alejandro Pizzoni ◽  
Martha Pérez-Domínguez ◽  
Paula Ford ◽  
Herminia Pasantes-Morales ◽  
...  

Neuronal activity in the retina generates osmotic gradients that lead to Müller cell swelling, followed by a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) response, partially due to the isoosmotic efflux of KCl and water. However, our previous studies in a human Müller cell line (MIO-M1) demonstrated that an important fraction of RVD may also involve the efflux of organic solutes. We also showed that RVD depends on the swelling-induced Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. Here we investigate the contribution of taurine (Tau) and glutamate (Glu), the most relevant amino acids in Müller cells, to RVD through the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC), as well as their Ca2+ dependency in MIO-M1 cells. Swelling-induced [3H]Tau/[3H]Glu release was assessed by radiotracer assays and cell volume by fluorescence videomicroscopy. Results showed that cells exhibited an osmosensitive efflux of [3H]Tau and [3H]Glu (Tau > Glu) blunted by VRAC inhibitors 4-(2-butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentylindan-1-on-5-yl)-oxybutyric acid and carbenoxolone reducing RVD. Only [3H]Tau efflux was mainly dependent on Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. RVD was unaffected in a Ca2+-free medium, probably due to Ca2+-independent Tau and Glu release, but was reduced by chelating intracellular Ca2+. The inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase reduced [3H]Glu efflux but also the Ca2+-insensitive [3H]Tau fraction and decreased RVD, providing evidence of the relevance of this Ca2+-independent pathway. We propose that VRAC-mediated Tau and Glu release has a relevant role in RVD in Müller cells. The observed disparities in Ca2+ influence on amino acid release suggest the presence of VRAC isoforms that may differ in substrate selectivity and regulatory mechanisms, with important implications for retinal physiology. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanisms for cell volume regulation in retinal Müller cells are still unknown. We show that swelling-induced taurine and glutamate release mediated by the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) largely contributes the to the regulatory volume decrease response in a human Müller cell line. Interestingly, the hypotonic-induced efflux of these amino acids exhibits disparities in Ca2+-dependent and -independent regulatory mechanisms, which strongly suggests that Müller cells may express different VRAC heteromers formed by the recently discovered leucine-rich repeat containing 8 (LRRC8) proteins.


1994 ◽  
Vol 194 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-68
Author(s):  
A L Silva ◽  
S H Wright

Long-term acclimation of Mytilus californianus to 60% artificial sea water (585 mosmol l-1; ASW) led to a 30-40% decrease in the taurine (53.5-36.9 mumol g-1 wet mass) and betaine (44.8-26.2 mumol g-1 wet mass) content of gill tissue, compared with that of control animals held in 100% ASW (980 mosmol l-1). The K+ content of gills did not change following long-term acclimation to reduced salinity. In contrast, losses of all three solutes during a brief (60 min) exposure to 60% ASW were less than or equal to 15%. Nevertheless, the swelling of gill cells that occurred after acute exposure to 60% ASW was followed by a return towards the control volume. Direct optical measurement of single gill filaments confirmed that, during an acute exposure to reduced salinity, ciliated lateral cells increased in cell height (volume) and then underwent a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) with a half-time of approximately 10 min. This short-term RVD was completely inhibited by exposure to 1 mmol l-1 quinidine, a K+ channel blocker, but only when the drug was applied to the basolateral aspect of the gill epithelium. Application of 1 mumol l-1 valinomycin relieved the inhibition by quinidine of the gill RVD. However, addition of valinomycin did not accelerate the rate of RVD observed in the absence of quinidine. These results indicate that long-term acclimation of Mytilus californianus gill in dilute sea water involves primarily losses of taurine and betaine, whereas short-term regulation of cell volume may involve an electrically conductive loss of intracellular K+ and a counter ion.


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (6) ◽  
pp. F950-F960 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. McCarty ◽  
R. G. O'Neil

The mechanism underlying the activation of hypotonic cell volume regulation was studied in rabbit proximal straight tubule (PST). When isolated non-perfused tubules were exposed to hypotonic solution, cells swelled rapidly and then underwent a regulatory volume decrease (RVD). The extent of regulation after swelling was highly dependent on extracellular Ca concentration ([Ca2+]o), with a half-maximal inhibition (K1/2) for [Ca2+]o of approximately 100 microM. RVD was blocked by the Ca-channel blockers verapamil, lanthanum, and the dihydropyridines (DHP) nifedipine and nitrendipine, implicating voltage-activated Ca channels in the RVD response. Using the fura-2 fluorescence-ratio technique, we observed that cell swelling caused a sustained rise in intracellular Ca ([Ca2+]i) only when [Ca2+]o was normal (1 mM) but not when [Ca2+]o was low (1-10 microM). Furthermore, external Ca was required early on during swelling to induce RVD. If RVD was initially blocked by reducing [Ca2+]o or by addition of verapamil during hypotonic swelling, volume regulation could only be restored by subsequently inducing Ca entry within the first 1 min or less of exposure to hypotonic solution. These data indicate a "calcium window" of less than 1 min, during which RVD is sensitive to Ca, and that part of the Ca-dependent mechanism responsible for achieving RVD undergoes inactivation after swelling. It is concluded that RVD in rabbit PST is modulated by Ca via a DHP-sensitive mechanism in a time-dependent manner.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (3) ◽  
pp. F568-F582 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Frindt ◽  
E. E. Windhager

Experiments were carried out to test whether maneuvers believed to increase intracellular Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]cell) inhibit Na transport in cortical collecting tubules (CCTs). Unidirectional Na efflux (JNa1----b) and Na influx (JNab----1) were measured isotopically in isolated perfused renal CCTs of rabbits. The animals were either untreated or pretreated with deoxycorticosterone (DOC) for 1-3 wk. To raise [Ca2+]cell, ionomycin or quinidine were added to, or [Na] reduced in, pertubular fluid. In control DOC-pretreated CCTs JNa1----b tended to saturate as luminal Na concentration was increased, reaching 22.9 +/- 1.2 pmol.cm-1.s-1 at 145 mM. In addition, in these CCTs, in contrast to non-DOC-treated tubules, the apical cell membrane was not found to be rate limiting for Na reabsorption as neither amphotericin B nor vasopressin further enhanced JNa1----b. In non-DOC-treated CCTs 10(-6) M ionomycin inhibited JNa1----b by 44.7%. When DOC-pretreated CCTs were exposed to either 10(-6)M ionomycin or 10(-4)M quinidine, JNa1----b was inhibited by 27 and 26%, respectively, while JNab----1 remained unchanged. This ionomycin-induced inhibition was Ca dependent. Exposure of DOC-pretreated CCTs to 5 mM Na-Ringer solution (Na replaced by choline or N-methyl-D-glucamine) for 30 min reduced JNa1----b by 18-30%. The inhibition of JNa1----b caused by any of the three maneuvers was fully reversed upon addition of amphotericin B to the luminal fluid. The results are consistent with the view that a sustained increase in [Ca2+]cell reduces Na transport by inhibition of the rate of Na+ entry across the apical cell membrane.


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (1) ◽  
pp. C122-C131 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Drewnowska ◽  
C. M. Baumgarten

Video microscopy was used to study the regulation of cell volume in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes. Myocytes rapidly (less than or equal to 2 min) swelled and shrank in hyposmotic and hyperosmotic solutions, respectively, and this initial volume response was maintained without a regulatory volume decrease or increase for 20 min. Relative cell volumes (normalized to isosmotic solution, 1T) were as follows: 1.41 +/- 0.01 in 0.6T, 1.20 +/- 0.04 in 0.8T, 0.71 +/- 0.04 in 1.8T, and 0.57 +/- 0.03 in 2.6T. These volume changes were significantly less than expected if all of the measured volume was osmotically active water. Changes in width and thickness were significantly greater than changes in cell length. The idea that cotransport contributes to cell volume regulation was tested by inhibiting Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport with bumetanide (BUM) and Na(+)-Cl- cotransport with chlorothiazide (CTZ). Under isotonic conditions, a 10-min exposure to BUM (1 microM), CTZ (100 microM), or BUM (10 microM) plus CTZ (100 microM) decreased relative cell volume to 0.87 +/- 0.01, 0.86 +/- 0.02, and 0.82 +/- 0.04, respectively. BUM plus CTZ also modified the response to osmotic stress. Swelling in 2.6T medium was 76% greater and shrinkage in 0.6T medium was 29% less than in the absence of diuretics. In contrast to the rapid effects of diuretics, inhibition of the Na(+)-K+ pump with 10 microM ouabain for 20 min did not affect cell volume in 1T solution. Nevertheless, ouabain decreased swelling in 0.6T medium by 52% and increased shrinkage in 1.8T medium by 34%. These data suggest that under isotonic conditions Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- and Na(+)-Cl- cotransport are critical in establishing cell volume, but osmoregulation can compensate for Na(+)-K+ pump inhibition for at least 20 min. Under anisotonic conditions, the Na(+)-K+ pump and Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- and/or Na(+)-Cl- cotransport are important in myocyte volume regulation.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (5) ◽  
pp. R1217-R1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. G. Dickman ◽  
L. Goldstein

The role of K transport during cell volume regulation in response to extracellular osmolality, protein kinase C activation, and cellular Ca was examined in skate (Raja erinacea) red blood cells (RBC). Reduction of medium osmolality from 960 to 660 mosmol/kgH2O had no effect on K uptake or efflux despite a 25% increase in cell volume. Further reduction to 460 mosmol/kgH2O caused K uptake to double and K efflux to triple resulting in net K loss. Net K efflux in 460 mosmol/kgH2O medium was correlated with the presence of a regulatory volume decrease, which was sensitive to the anion transport inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) and insensitive to chloride replacement. K-K exchange was absent in both isotonic and hypotonic media. Treatment with the Ca ionophore A23187 in the presence of Ca had no effect on either cell volume or K efflux in isotonic medium, indicating the absence of Ca-activated K transport. In contrast, phorbol ester treatment caused cell volume, Na content, and proton and K efflux to increase. Consistent with activation of Na-H exchange, phorbol ester effects were inhibited by dimethylamiloride. This study constitutes the first demonstration of volume-sensitive K transport in RBC from the most primitive vertebrate studied to date.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (2) ◽  
pp. C360-C370 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Summers ◽  
L. Trais ◽  
R. Lajvardi ◽  
D. Hergan ◽  
R. Buechler ◽  
...  

To gain insight into the mechanism(s) by which cells sense volume changes, specific predictions of the macromolecular crowding theory (A. P. Minton. In: Cellular and Molecular Physiology of Cell Volume Regulation, edited by K. Strange. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 1994, p. 181-190. A. P. Minton, C. C. Colclasure, and J. C. Parker. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89: 10504-10506, 1992) were tested on the volume of internally perfused barnacle muscle cells. This preparation was chosen because it allows assessment of the effect on cell volume of changes in the intracellular macromolecular concentration and size while maintaining constant the ionic strength, membrane stretch, and osmolality. The predictions tested were that isotonic replacement of large macromolecules by smaller ones should induce volume decreases proportional to the initial macromolecular concentration and size as well as to the magnitude of the concentration reduction. The experimental results were consistent with these predictions: isotonic replacement of proteins or polymers with sucrose induced volume reductions, but this effect was only observed when the replacement was > or = 25% and the particular macromolecule had an average molecular mass of < or = 20 kDa and a concentration of at least 18 mg/ml. Volume reduction was effected by a mechanism identical with that of hypotonicity-induced regulatory volume decrease, namely, activation of verapamil-sensitive Ca2+ channels.


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