Oxidative stress studied in intact mammalian cells

Abstract
Exposure of isolated rat hepatocytes to toxic doses of menadione (2-methyl-1,4- naphthoquinone) results in enhanced formation of active oxygen species, depletion of cellular glutathione and protein thiols, and perturbation of intracellular calcium ion homeostasis. An increase in cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration, resulting from inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca 2+ translocase by menadione metabolism, appears to be critically involved in the development of cytotoxicity.