Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Detection of Mitochondria Membrane Potential to Study CLIC4 Knockdown-induced HN4 Cell Apoptosis In Vitro
Published on: July 17, 2018
Chloride channels involve in hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells
Wanhong Zuo1, Linyan Zhu, Zhiquan Bai
1Department of Physiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Chloride channel activity is one of the critical factors responsible for cell apoptotic volume decrease (AVD). However, the roles of chloride channels in apoptosis have not been fully understood. In the current study, we assessed the role of chloride channels in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced apoptosis of pheochromocytoma cells (PC12). Extracellular application of H(2)O(2) activated a chloride current and induced cell volume decrease in a few minutes. Incubation of cells with H(2)O(2) elevated significantly the membrane permeability to the DNA dye Hoechst 33258 in 1h and induced apoptosis of most PC12 cells tested in 24h. The chloride channel blocker NPPB (5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate) prevented appearance of H(2)O(2)-induced high membrane permeability and cell shrinkage, suppressed H(2)O(2)-activated chloride currents and protected PC12 cells from apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2). The results suggest that chloride channels may contribute to H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis by ways of elevation of membrane permeability and AVD in PC12 cells.
Related Concept Videos
Peroxisomes
Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
Carboxylic Acids to Acid Chlorides
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy
Acid Halides to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis
As shown below, the mechanism involves a nucleophilic attack by water at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen π bond along with the departure of a halide ion. A final proton transfer step yields carboxylic acid...

