Protection of cultured renal tubular epithelial cells from anoxic cell swelling and cell death.

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Abstract
To study the relationship between cell swelling and cell death due to ischemia, an in vitro model using primary cultures of [rat] renal tubular epithelial cells was developed. With this model, 2 components of ischemia, anoxia along with substrate deprivation, were studied. After 2 h of anoxia in the absence of substrate, the cultured cells swelled and blebbed. Cells similarly treated in the presence of 8% polyethylene glycol, an oncotic agent, did not swell and bleb and when cells were counted 18 h later, similar numbers of cells were seen as in the untreated cultures. Tubule cells exposed to anoxia without 8% polyethylene glycol had 50% fewer cells 18 h later. If cell swelling is prevented during 2 h of anoxia, cell viability is improved.