CELL-TYPE-SPECIFIC RESPONSE TO SHOCK-WAVES OF SUSPENDED OR PELLETED CELLS AS ANALYZED BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY OR ELECTRICAL CELL-VOLUME DETERMINATION

Shock-wave-induced cell damage of suspended or pelleted bladder cancer cells was analysed with the how cytometric propidium iodide (PI)/fluo rescein diacetate assay, and electrical volume determination using the CASY 1 analyser system and growth curves, The CASY system revealed a smaller fraction of suspended RT4 cells with impaired membrane integri ty than the flow cytometric assay, No differences were found for pelle ted RT4 cells and suspended J82 cells. The discrepancies of the two vi ability assays indicated a different response of the cell membrane to shock waves which was dependent on the exposure system and the cell ty pe, Growth curves indicated delayed cell death for suspended RT4 cells and exclusively immediate cell death for pelleted RT4 cells and suspe nded J82 cells, PI positive suspended RT4 cells were morphologically i ntact while pelleted RT4 cells and suspended J82 cells were mainly dis rupted, From these data it can be concluded that intracellular or memb rane alterations seem to be correlated with the occurrence of cavitati onal effects while cell disruption can likewise occur by the direct im pact of the shock wave.