Chifflet, Silvia, Julio A. Herná ndez, and Silvina Grasso. A possible role for membrane depolarization in epithelial wound healing.

No abstract

The purpose of this study is to contribute to understanding the role of Na+-K+-ATPase and of ionic cotransporters in the regulation of cell volume, by employing a model that describes the rates of change of the intracellular concentrations of Na+, K+, and Cl−, of the cell volume, and of the membrane potential. In most previous models of dynamic cellular phenomena, Na+-K+-ATPase is incorporated via phenomenological formulations; the enzyme is incorporated here via an explicit kinetic scheme. Another feature of the present model is the capability to perform short-term cell volume regulation mediated by cotransporters of KCl and NaCl. The model is employed to perform numerical simulations for a “typical” nonpolarized animal cell. Basically, the results are consistent with the view that the Na+ pump mainly plays a long-term role in the maintenance of the electrochemical gradients of Na+ and K+ and that short-term cell volume regulation is achieved via passive transport, exemplified in this case by the cotransport of KCl and NaCl.

No abstract

Immediately after wounding, bovine corneal endothelial cells develop a fast calcium wave that propagates from the wound border to the rest of the monolayer and extinguishes in approximately 5 minutes. One hour after wounding, a late, slow calcium wave (SCW) develops concomitantly to the depolarization of the plasma membrane potential of the border cells. The incorporation of inhibitors of the epithelial sodium channel and of the sodium-calcium exchanger produces inhibition of the membrane depolarization and the SCW, and diminishes the rate of wound healing. The L-type calcium channel blocker nimodipine does not have any effect on the SCW. The reversible inhibition of the fast calcium wave does not affect the SCW and only slightly decreases the velocity of healing. Our results suggest that the SCW is at least partially produced by the coupling of the epithelial sodium channel and the sodium-calcium exchanger functioning in reverse mode. They also suggest that the SCW may play a role in the overall healing process.