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Cell culture dosimetry for low‐frequency magnetic fields
Author(s) -
Hart Francis X.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-186x(1996)17:1<48::aid-bem7>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - magnetic field , electric field , anisotropy , membrane , perpendicular , gap junction , condensed matter physics , current density , surface (topology) , intracellular , materials science , physics , cell membrane , biophysics , molecular physics , chemistry , optics , geometry , biology , mathematics , biochemistry , quantum mechanics
Calculations of the current density and electric field distributions induced in cell cultures by an applied low‐frequency magnetic field have assumed that the medium is uniform. This paper calculates these distributions for a more realistic, inhomogeneous, anisotropic model in which the cells are regarded as conducting squares surrounded by insulating membranes. Separate parameters are used to specify the resistivities of the cell interior, the cell membrane parallel to its surface, the cell membrane perpendicular to its surface, and the intercellular junction parallel to the membrane. The presence of gap junctions connecting the interiors of adjacent cells is also considered. For vertical applied magnetic fields, the induced currents and field distributions may deviate considerably from the homogeneous medium model if there is sufficiently tight binding of the cells to each other. The presence of gap junctions can produce relatively large transmembrane electric fields or intracellular current densities. These considerations are generally less important for horizontal applied fields. A simple microscopic model of the cell surface is also discussed. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.