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Volume Measurements in Cultured Primary Astrocytes

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In Vitro Neurotoxicology

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 758))

Abstract

Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) is selective, likely reflecting the intrinsic properties of ­individual cell types. Targets of chemical injury are diverse hence assessing neurotoxicity is extremely difficult. Overcoming this obstacle requires a general screen or “marker” for injury that reflects cellular damage. The “marker” must be reliable and represent a biochemical event which broadly reflects cellular stress and damage. One such “marker” is cell swelling; it occurs in response to a diversity of insults, such as physical damage, disease (ischemia, trauma, and hypoxia), and chemicals (methylmercury, lead, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, and triethyltin). In astrocytes, a type of glia, astrocytic swelling can be measured with several methods. Commonly, freshly isolated astrocytes are grown to confluence on coverslips, a period requiring 3 weeks in culture. At this time, astrocytic volume can be measured using either an impedance technique or 3-O-methyl-d-glucose to assess cell volume. This review will briefly detail these methods and provide insight into molecular mechanisms associated with cell swelling and the ensuing regulatory decrease (RVD).

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from PHS NIH grants NIEHS 07331 and 10563 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA

    Michael Aschner

Authors
  1. Michael Aschner
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Correspondence to Michael Aschner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Environmental and, University of Washington, Roosevelt Way NE 4225, Seattle, 98105, Washington, USA

    Lucio G. Costa

  2. , Department of Environmental and, University of Washington, Roosevelt Way NE 4225, Seattle, 98105, Washington, USA

    Gennaro Giordano

  3. Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, South Damen Avenue 820, Seattle, 60612, Illinois, USA

    Marina Guizzetti

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Aschner, M. (2011). Volume Measurements in Cultured Primary Astrocytes. In: Costa, L., Giordano, G., Guizzetti, M. (eds) In Vitro Neurotoxicology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 758. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-170-3_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-170-3_26

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-169-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-170-3

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