Hypoxic neuronal injury in tissue culture is associated with delayed calcium accumulation

Calcium accumulation and neuronal injury were studied after hypoxia in cerebrocortical cell cultures in vitro. Neuronal injury was associated with a delayed calcium accumulation, which was greatest 5-7 hours after hypoxic exposure. Antiexcitotoxic treatments with tetrodotoxin and magnesium chloride or the selective N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist (+/-)-4-(3-phosphonopropyl)-2-piperazinecarboxylic acid prevented hypoxic calcium accumulation and neuronal injury even when added 3 hours after hypoxia, during reoxygenation. Rescue of the neurons after hypoxia by blocking the delayed calcium accumulation in this cell culture preparation suggests a "therapeutic window" determined by calcium entry.