Biophysical Journal 68: 2608-2614 (1995)
© 1995 the Biophysical Society

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bischof, J C Articles by Toner, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bischof, J C Articles by Toner, M

Dynamics of cell membrane permeability changes at supraphysiological temperatures.

Surgical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.

ABSTRACT

A quantitative fluorescent microscopy system was developed to characterize, in real time, the effects of supraphysiological temperatures between 37 degrees and 70 degrees C on the plasma membrane of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts and isolated rat skeletal muscle cells. Membrane permeability was assessed by monitoring the leakage as a function of time of the fluorescent membrane integrity probe calcein. The kinetics of dye leakage increased with increasing temperature in both the 3T3 fibroblasts and the skeletal muscle cells. Analytical solutions derived from a two-compartment transport model showed that, for both cell types, a time-dependent permeability assumption provided a statistically better fit of the model predictions to the data than a constant permeability assumption. This finding suggests that the plasma membrane integrity is continuously being compromised while cells are subjected to supraphysiological temperatures.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Park, Y.-M. Go, P. L. St. John, M. C. Maland, M. P. Lisanti, D. R. Abrahamson, and H. Jo Plasma Membrane Cholesterol Is a Key Molecule in Shear Stress-dependent Activation of Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase J. Biol. Chem., November 27, 1998; 273(48): 32304 - 32311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]