Effect of Antibody and Complement on Volume Control in an Ascites Tumour Cell

Abstract

WHEN Krebs mouse ascites tumour cells are exposed to the action of rabbit antibodies and complement, the permeability properties of the cells are altered in such a way as to permit rapid equilibration of small molecules and ions between the interior of the cells and the medium¹. This deprives the cells of the ability to regulate their internal cation concentration, which is necessary for normal control of cell volume (ref. 2 and Tosteson, D. C., and Hoffman, J. F., personal communication). As a result, the cell volume then responds passively to whatever colloid osmotic pressure difference exists between the cell interior and the medium. In ordinary media, the colloid osmotic pressure of which is lower than that of the cells, the cells take in water^3,4. As they swell, they lose protein and ribonucleic acid to the medium¹, probably until the colloid osmotic pressure inside the cells is reduced to that of the medium, when cell volume is stabilized at a new value.