Effect of Copper Chloride Exposure on the Membrane Potential and Cytosolic Free Calcium in Primary Cultured Chicken Hepatocytes

摘要

This study was conducted to examine the effects of copper on membrane potential and cytosolic free calcium in isolated primary chicken hepatocytes which were exposed to different concentration of Cu2+ (0, 10, 50, 100 μM) or a mixture of Cu2+ and vitamin C (50 and 50 μM, respectively). Viability, membrane potential, and cytosolic free Ca2+ of monolayer cultured hepatocytes were investigated at the indicated time point. Results showed that, among the different concentrations of Cu2+ exposure, the viability of hepatocytes treated with 100 μM Cu2+ was the worst at the 12th and 24th hours. The effects of Cu2+ on viability and proliferation were time and dose dependent. Further investigation indicated that Cu2+ exposure significantly enhanced cytosolic free Ca2+ in hepatocytes, compared to that in control group, at the 24th hour. Meanwhile, membrane potential was noticeably reduced in hepatocytes increasing concentration of Cu2+. Taking these results together, we have shown that Cu2+ can cause toxicity to primary chicken hepatocytes in excessive dose and the effect of Cu2+ exposure on membrane potential is not site specific, which is probably mediated by the changes of cytosolic free Ca2+.