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Effects of low‐amplitude pulsed magnetic fields on cellular ion transport
Author(s) -
Farndale R. W.,
Maroudas A.,
Marsland T. P.
Publication year - 1987
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/bem.2250080203
Subject(s) - biophysics , ion transporter , extracellular , calcium , connective tissue , membrane , chemistry , bioelectromagnetics , membrane transport , ion , cell membrane , permeability (electromagnetism) , membrane potential , ion channel , potassium , magnetic field , biochemistry , biology , physics , pathology , medicine , receptor , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Pulsed magnetic fields (PMFs) are widely used to treat difficult fractures of bone and other disorders of connective tissue. It is not clear how they interact with tissue metabolism, although it has been proposed that induced currents or electric fields impinging on cell membranes may modify their ion transport function. This hypothesis was tested by treating in vitro models for ion transport processes with short‐term exposure to PMFs. No change occurred in active transport of potassium or calcium in human red cells or in calcium transport through an epithelial membrane. We considered less direct action on red cell membranes, that their permeability might be modified after PMF treatment, and also that PMFs might alter the extracellular ionic activity within connective tissue by interacting with its Donnan potential. Each of these studies proved negative, and we conclude that the PMF waveforms used here do not exert a general short‐term effect on cellular ion transport.