ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To observe the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) process of human intestine cells and investigate its ion channel mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cultured human intestine cells were exposed to hypotonic solution and the cell volume was measured using Coulter Counter System. RT-PCR was explored to detect the mRNA expression of Ca(2+) -activated K+ channel.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Human intestine cells showed a RVD process and this process could be blocked by Cl- channel blocker NPPB and K+ channel blocker TEA. Further results demonstrated the subtype of K+ channel involved in RVD was an intermediate-conductance, Ca(2+) -activated K+ channel (IK) because of its high sensitivity to clotrimazole. RT-PCR results also showed the expression of IK in this cell line.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The RVD process of intestine cell was dependent on the parallel activation of Cl- channel and K+ channel. The subtype of K+ channel in volved in the RVD process was IK channel.</p>