You are here:
INFLUENCE OF 50-HZ ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ON NEURITE OUTGROWTH IN PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA CELLS
Citation:
Blackman, C., S. Benane, D. House, AND M. Pollock. INFLUENCE OF 50-HZ ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ON NEURITE OUTGROWTH IN PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA CELLS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-91/225 (NTIS PB91242461).
Description:
This study describes the ability of electric and magnetic fields to substitute for nerve growth factor in the stimulation of trite growth in a subline of PC-12 cells, derived from a pheochromocytoma in rat adrenal medulla. he cells were plated on collagen-coated, 60-mm plastic dishes and exposed to sinusoidal 50-Hz magnetic fields for 22 hours in a 5% CO2 incubator at 37 degrees C. wo 1000-turn coils, 20 cm in diameter, were assessed in a Helmholtz configuration to generate a magnetic field in a vertical orientation, thereby inducing a companion electric field. o-netic metal shield housed the control samples in the same incubator. otal cells and number of cells with neurites at least as long as the cell diameter or having a growth cone were counted within an annulus of 1.7 to 1.8 cm radii. ham exposure demonstrated no difference in % of cells with neurites between the exposed and control locations in the incubator. xposures were done at 420, 230, 120, 42, 31, 22, 9 and 4.2 milliGauss (mG). t the dish radius of 1.7 - 1.8 cm these flux densities induced electric fields of 115, 63, 33, 12, 8.5, 6.0, 2.5 and 1.2 uV/m, respectively. t each field strength, there were two control dishes and six exposed dishes, except for 5 exposure dishes at 120 mG. he results demonstrate that electric and magnetic fields stimulate neurite outgrowth in a field strength-dependent manner between 22 and 42 mG (6.0 and 12 uV/m), reaching an apparent stimulation plateau between 42 and 420 mG (12 and 115 uV/m). hese results of neurite outgrowth stimulation demonstrate that relatively low intensity magnetic and electric fields can influence a morphological response in a cell which is normally stimulated by nerve-growth-factor molecules binding to membrane receptors.