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Acta Medica Medianae
Vol. 41
No 4, 2002
UDK 61
YU ISSN 0365-4478

 




Kontakt:
Ljubiša Mihajlović
Institute for Biology with Human Genetics

MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF THE CELL DAMAGES

IN THE ACUTE HYPOXIA

 

Ljubiša Mihajlović, Nevenka K. Mihajlović, Aleksandar Petrović and Radmila Pavlović

 

Institute for Biology with Human Genetics,

Institute for Histology and Embryology and

The Institute of Medicine Chemistry of the Faculty of Medicine, Nis

 

Under the conditions of hypoxia and ischemia due to the reduced ATP production there are many structural and functional changes especially in the highly differentiated cells of the kidneys, the heart and the CNS. It is certain that the loss of function of the cell membrane represents a primary event in the cell damage genesis under the given conditions, but the definite basis of the mechanism due to which the membrane dysfunction emerges still remains obscure. However, the existence of the following potential mechanisms should be stressed, namely, of the ionic homeostasis disturbance, the membrane lipid peroxidation, cross-connection of the membrane proteins and an increased decomposition of the phospholipids. Likewise, much of the experimental research supports the importance of the free radical production after the acute hypoxia. All the changes that are related to the reversible hypoxic and ischemic cell damage, if they are qualitatively or quantitatively adequate, can produce irreversible damages. That is why  the cases of hypoxia and ischemia of the heart, the kidneys or the CNS as the organs that are highly dependent upon the aerobic production of the ATP the application of the medicaments contributing to the preservation of the membrane stability, in addition to the standard drug application, would be completely justified.

Key words: Hypoxia, ionic channels, free radicals