Response of aged neurons to super-hypotonic environment.

ABSTRACT

Cultured sensory neurons from aged mice (24 months old) lost capability of cell volume auto-regulatory mechanism after the rapid treatment with a hypotonic solution of 1/4 the normal osmolarity or lower. However, they could survive and extend neurites in super-hypotonic media such as 1/4 osmolar and even 1/8 osmolar culture media when the osmolarity was reduced gradually to such a low level.