Disturbance of cellular calcium homeostasis by in vitro application of shock waves

Extracorporeally generated shock waves used in lithotripsy of urinary and biliary stones exhibit tissue lesions in vivo and destroy or damage cells in vitro. The involvement of cavitation-generated free radicals in these harmful effects is discussed controversially. We investigated changes in cytoplasmic calcium concentration and intracellular calcium localization after shock-wave treatment of suspended cell cultures using flow cytometry and electron microscopy and present evidence for the disturbance of mitochondrial Ca2+ a sequestration and, therefore, for a chemically induced cell injury.