Use of Stable Isotopes to Follow Intracellular Water Dynamics in Living Cells
Despite the importance of water to cell structure and function, intracellular water dynamics are poorly understood. A new method based on isotope ratio measurements has revealed that a substantial portion of the O and H atoms in the intracellular water of rapidly-dividing cultured cells is derived from metabolic activity, and not from environmental water. These findings have led to a dynamic model of intracellular water composition: (1) Intracellular water is composed of water that diffuses in from the extracellular environment and water that is created as a result of metabolic activity. (2) The relative amounts of environmental and metabolic water inside a cell are a function of the cell's metabolic activity. (3) The oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios of cellular metabolites are a function of those of intracellular water, and therefore reflect the metabolic activity of the cell at the time of biosynthesis. Data from gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as cultured mammalian cells are consistent with the model.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1040967
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-63038; TRN: US201211%%297
- Resource Relation:
- Related Information: Encyclopedia of Mass Spectrometry, 5:968-976
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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