Different patterns of cell volume regulation in hyposmotic media between attached and suspended HeLa cells

Both attached and suspended HeLa cells swelled in a medium of a hypotonic osmolality of 235 mosmol/kg H2O. When the osmolality was further decreased to 166 mosmol/kg H2O, attached cells instantly swelled and then rapidly lost water and K+, followed by slow gains of them. Suspended cells instantly swelled and then K+ loss and regulatory volume decrease (RVD) occurred. Neither 0.1 mM ouabain nor 10 mM TEA changed the water loss of attached cells, whereas ouabain inhibited RVD of suspended cells. Quinine (1 mM) inhibited water losses from both cells and comparison of the losses implies stronger activation of K+ channel in attached cells than in suspended cells. Omission of medium Ca2+ or addition of 10 mM BaCl2 inhibited RVD in part. These results suggest that hyposmotic stress induces net water loss from attached cells, associated with K+ release through the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channel. Suspended cells osmotically swell, followed by RVD with K+ and Na+ releases through the K+ channel and Na(+)-pump, respectively. The different patterns of volume changes may relate to the difference of activity or time of activation of the K+ channel between both cells.