In rat cerebellar granule cells both reactive oxygen species production and release of
cytochrome c take place during glutamate toxicity. This investigation was aimed (i) to
ascertain whether and how these two processes are related and (ii) to gain insight into the
role played by the released cytochrome c in the onset of neurotoxicity. Cytochrome c release
takes place owing to the generation of reactive oxygen species both in glutamate-treated
cerebellar granule cells and in sister control cultures incubated in the presence of the …