Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

The effect of electromagnetic field on decreasing and increasing of the growth and proliferation rate of dermal fibroblast cell med./bio.

Published in: Dermatol Ther 2020; 33 (4): e13803

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of dermal fibroblasts to 50 Hz magnetic fields on growth and cell proliferation as well as cell morphology should be investigated.

Background/further details

The following groups were examined: exposure to a 50 Hz field with 1) 1 mT, 2) 2 mT, 3) 3 mT, 4) 5 mT. Each group consisted of 3 petri dishes with 500 cells each for exposure and 3 petri dishes with 500 cells each as control group. One exposure dish and one control dish in each group were examined after 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. All experiments were repeated three times.
The hypothesis was that conditions in groups 1 and 2 would lead to an increase in cell growth and conditions in groups 3 and 4 would lead to a decrease in cell growth. The background was the possible use in therapeutic treatments of skin lesions and skin cancer.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure 2: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure 3: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure 4: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 24, 48 and 72 hours

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Chamber petri dishes in an incubator
Setup three sets of coil pairs (distance 10 cm, separated by glass teflon) were made from polytetrafluoroethylene and placed next to each other in the same incubator
Additional info petri dishes of the control group were placed in the same incubator as the exposure groups without being exposed
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 1 mT - - - -

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 2 mT - - - -

Exposure 3

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 3 mT - - - -

Exposure 4

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration 24, 48 and 72 hours
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 5 mT - - - -

Reference articles

  • Bai WF et al. (2012): Effects of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields on human epidermal stem cells cultured on collagen sponge scaffolds

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Cell proliferation was increased after 24, 48 and 72 hours of exposure in groups 1 and 2 compared to the respective control groups. In groups 3 and 4, cell proliferation was increased after 24 hours and decreased after 48 and 72 hours compared to the respective control groups. Exposure to the magnetic fields had no effect on cell morphology in any group. (Remark EMF-Portal: No statistical significance of results was determined.)
The authors concluded that exposure of dermal fibroblasts to 50 Hz magnetic fields might affect growth and cell proliferation depending on the magnetic flux density and exposure duration, suggesting a potential therapeutic use.

Study character:

Study funded by

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