Final answer:
The answer is cellular swelling. The failure of the sodium/potassium pump, often due to hyponatremia, leads to excessive sodium accumulation inside the cell and an influx of water, resulting in swelling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The failure of the sodium/potassium pump during cellular injury results in cellular swelling. Hyponatremia, a condition characterized by low sodium levels in the blood, often leads to the movement of water into cells by osmosis, as intracellular solute concentrations become higher than those in the extracellular fluid. This influx of water causes cells to swell. When the sodium/potassium pump fails, excessive sodium accumulates inside the cell, leading to a further influx of water due to osmotic forces and resulting in cellular swelling or edema. Astrocytes, a type of glial cell, can become reactive, leading to an impaired ability to regulate the local chemical environment, exacerbating the swelling.