A decrease of intracellular ATP is compensated by increased respiration and acidification at sub-lethal parathion concentrations in murine embryonic neuronal cells: Measurements in metabolic cell-culture chips

► In vitro test strategy for cell-metabolic effects of toxins with murine embryonic, primary cortex cells (MEPCs). ► Cell-chips were used for the on-line registration of the parathion effect on respiration, acidification and cell adhesion. ► IC50 values were 100 μM (respiration), 65 μM (acidification), 54 μM (adhesion), and 33 μM (intracellular ATP-level). ► While ATP-level and cell adhesion showed a simple logistic decay, respiration and acidification were increased at low doses. ► This is a result of cellular regulation induced by the uncoupling of cellular respiration by parathion and its metabolites.