Oxidative stress studied in intact mammalian cells

Abstract

Exposure of isolated rat hepatocytes to toxic doses of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) results in enhanced formation of active oxygen species, depletion of cellular glutathione and protein thiols, and perturbation of intracellular calcium ion homeostasis. An increase in cytosolic Ca$^{2+}$ concentration, resulting from inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca$^{2+}$ translocase by menadione metabolism, appears to be critically involved in the development of cytotoxicity.