Figure 6. Effect of taurine and HO-1 inhibition on ammonia-induced proliferation inhibition in cultured rat astrocytes.

Cultured rat astrocytes were exposed to NH₄Cl (5 mmol/l) or were left untreated (control) for 72 h in the presence or absence of taurine (5 mmol/l, 16 h pretreatment) or tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP, 10 μmol/l, 30 min pretreatment). DNA content was quantified by fluorimetric detection of Hoechst34580 fluorescence as described in materials and methods and fluorescence intensities found under the different experimental treatments are given relative to the untreated control. *statistically significantly different compared to untreated controls. n.s.: not statistically significantly different. Data are from 3 independent experiments.