Figure 2.

Ion channels and transporters and cell volume changes associated in normal and cancer cells. Cell sizes refer to expected cell volume changes and lengths of arrows on cells indicates up- or down-regulation or ion transporters/channels. Resistance to apoptosis is associated with down-regulation of several channels and inhibition of some channels (asterisks) induces resistance to apoptosis. In proliferation, several transporters and channels are up-regulated and over-expressed in cancer (see text). The right part of the figure shows ion transporters and channels that would lead to cell volume increase and those in the lower part indicate those that would lead to cell volume decrease. Large arrows next to named ion channels/transporters indicate their up- or down-regulation in cancer. Chronic activation of ion transport may lead to cell death. Dynamic activation or suppression of ion transport/cell volume with specific signals, in time or in given cells may lead to cancer development and progression.