Cell response to membrane disruption. First, plasma membrane repair
(PMR) engages within seconds to minutes to rescue the cell. If PMR fails the
cell depolarizes, swells, and dies. Shown are the altered cytoplasmic contents
that eventuate if membrane disruption is conducted in a physiological buffer. If
PMR is successful, the cell is left in a perturbed state with loss of cytosol.
Stress response guides the cell to return to the pre-perturbation homeostatic
state or into apoptosis. In some cases trauma or off-target damage involved with
disruption recovery cycle may cause mutations, fate changes, or loss of cell
potency.