Autori: Constantin Munteanu, Gabriela Zamfirescu, Diana Ciobotaru, Cristina Chiţonu, Otilia Zãrnescu, Adriana Sarah Nica

Editorial: Conferinţa Internaţionalã BioScience2004 - from molecules to organisms, , Glasgow, Marea Britanie, 2004.

Rezumat:

Abstract
Lithium is the lightest and smallest metal known and although trace amounts of lithium are found in the body, it has no known physiological function. The introduction of lithium salts in the preventive treatment of recurrent affective diseases has resulted in improving the life quality of a large number of patients and in saving the life of many suicidal-prone individuals. If administration of the appropriate therapeutically dosage (0.5 – 1.5 mM) has beneficial effects, exceeding that dosage induces a series of disturbances that may even result in death. The primary glial cells culture was initiated from the brain of rat pups aged 1-3 days. In vitro studies of glial cells with 2mM LiCl for 18-20 days point to alterations of cell morphology and proliferation. Lithium chloride stimulates division of glial cells in culture for 11 days. Measurements of cell protein concentration also supported this finding. After 12 days, morphological changes caused by lithium cytotoxicity occur in culture: cell swelling, cytoplasm granulation, and vacuolization. In Romania there are some sources of mineral waters which contain between 3-8 mg Li+/l. The purpose of this study is to observe if mineral waters enriched in lithium have the same effect as lithium salts. Our hypothesis is that mineral waters with lithium can modulate growth and differentiation of glial cell cultures in the same manner as lithium salts.

Cuvinte cheie: litiu, celule gliale // lithium, glial cells

URL: http://www.biochemsoctrans.org/bst/bs2004/bs2004B201.pdf