Taurine is transported from Purkinje cells into perineuronal glial cells during hypoosmotic swelling and is lost first from pyramidal cells during hypoxia/ ischemia, suggesting in situ cellular redistribution. Cultured isolated astrocytes or neurons and slices from rat hippocampus were treated first in 290 mOsm saline (ISO), then in 200 mOsm (HYPO) with or without taurine for 15 and 60 minutes.

Cells and slices were then fixed in 80 mM phosphate buffered (pH 7.4) fixative containing 1.25% paraformaldehyde and 2.5% glutaraldehyde followed by immuno-cytochemistry .Immunostaining was done either directly on the cell layers or on 1 micron araldite/eponate sections (Pelco). After incubation with antibody to taurine, GFAP, SNAP-25, or normal serum, immunoproduct was visualized using step-avidin-DAB (DAKO:LSAB+). Measurements of pyramidal cell diameters were made on toluidine blue-stained sections containing cells with prominent nucleoli.

The data suggest that taurine is initially lost from pyramidal cells within 15 minutes in HYPO to maintain normal cell volume, while taurine efflux from glia occurs over a 60 minute time peroid.