Metabolic changes associated with iso-osmotic regulation in brain cortex slices.

Abstract

Abstract— The metabolism of single, first cortical rat brain slices was studied in response to incubation in media of various osmolalities. There was an inverse relationship between osmolality and the magnitude of the increase in tissue water content, and a direct relationship between osmolality and inulin space. Brain sodium varied directly with the media sodium, but hyperosmolal sucrose and glucose resulted in a drop in brain sodium. Brain potassium was constant in hyperosmolal sodium media, but it fell in hypo‐osmolal media and hyperosmolal sucrose and glucose media.Hypo‐osmolality depressed the oxidation of [14C]glucose to 14CO2 whereas hyperosmolality obtained with sodium, sucrose, or glucose stimulated glucose oxidation. Lactate production was enhanced only by sodium hyperosmolality. Hypo‐osmolality caused a 70% drop in phosphocreatine and a minor decrease in energy charge potential, analagous to the effects of hypoxia. Hyperosmolality had no effect on energy metabolism.The total amino acid nitrogen released into the media was suppressed by hypo‐osmolality but was increased by hyperosmolal incubation. Hyperosmolality also increased production of ammonia fourfold.The time course of the change in tissue osmolality and ion content following incubation in hyperosmolal sodium media showed the tissue osmolality reached the media osmolality within 5 min, but it took 30 min for the tissue sodium to reach equilibrium with the media sodium. This indicates that unidentified or‘idiogenic osmoles’are induced transiently by hyperosmolality associated with changes in amino acid and ammonia metabolism.