Cell volume regulation of cerebrovascular endothelium in vitro

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Abstract
Regulation of cell volume as a fundamental cellular function of high biological priority was studied in cultured cerebrovascular endothelium. The use of a multiparameter flow cytometric system allowed simultaneous measurements of cell volume, viability, and membrane potential or intracellular pH. Endothelium, the cellular constituent of the blood‐brain barrier (BBB), swells immediately on exposure to low osmolality. This is associated with membrane depolarization and a fall of intracellular pH. Within 30–60 min, cell volume and membrane potential recover completely, although the extracellular osmolality is kept low. Intracellular pH does not normalize fully. Measurements of intracellular K+ and Na+ concentrations reveal their involvement in the regulatory process. The findings strongly suggest that the cerebrovascular endothelium has a highly effective built‐in capacity for homeostatic control essential for normal BBB function.

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