Mitochondrial changes, ion and water shifts in the cellular injury of ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

Cellular injury was produced in Ehlrich ascites tumor cells by an inhibitor of the function of the cell membrane [10(-3M) parachloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (PCMBS)] or by inhibitors of respiration (10(-4M) Antimycin A), glycolysis (10(-4M), iodoacetic acid, IAA), oxidative phosphorylation (10(-3M) 2,4 dinitrophenol, DNP) or by combinations of these in a medium with or without glucose. The contents of Na+, K+, Ca++, Mg++ and intracellular water in the treated cells and controls were correlated with the percentages of ultrastructural changes in the mitochondria of the cells. A moderate negative correlation (r = -0.66) was observed between K+ content of the cells and the condensation of mitochondria in selected experiments where mitochondrial swelling had not yet started. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.44) was observed between mitochondrial condensation and Na+ content of the cells in the same experiments. K+ and Mg++ content of cells showed a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.58 and -0.65) with mitochondrial swelling in the material of all experiments and Ca++ content a moderate positive one (r = 0.58), but the Na+ content and intracellular water showed no correlation. The percentages of flocculent densities in mitochondria showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.43) with the Ca++ content of the cells and a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.61) with the magnesium content of the cells.