Cell volume regulation and swelling-activated chloride channels.

Maintenance of a constant volume is essential for normal cell function. Following cell swelling, as a consequence of reduction of extracellular osmolarity or increase of intracellular content of osmolytes, animal cells are able to restore their original volume by activation of potassium and chloride conductances. The loss of these ions, followed passively by water, is responsible for the homeostatic response called regulatory volume decrease (RVD). Activation of a chloride conductance upon cell swelling is a key step in RVD. Several proteins have been proposed as candidates for this chloride conductance. The status of the field is reviewed, with particular emphasis on ClC-3, a member of the ClC family which has been recently proposed as the chloride channel involved in cell volume regulation.