Figure 4.

Volatile anesthetics inhibit actin-based dynamics in nonneuronal cells. Rat embryo fibroblast cultures were fixed and stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin to reveal polymerized actin. (a) Quiescent serum-starved fibroblasts contain abundant stress fibers but little actin at the cell periphery. (b) Treatment with 100 nM PMA for 15 min induces membrane ruffling, which is associated with high concentrations of filamentous actin. (c) Pretreatment with 0.3 mM isoflurane blocks PMA-induced actin motility, as shown by the absence of actin-rich membrane ruffles. Bar = 50 μm.