Effects of an extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on the cell division rate and plasma membrane of Paramecium tetraurelia.
The eukaryotic protozoan, Paramecium, was examined as a model for effects of pulsated electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on cells. A 72-Hz PEMF similar to fields employed clinically increased cell division rates in Paramecium by 8.5%. Two calcium transport mutants of these organisms showed differential responses to the same field. Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, abolished any effect of PEMFs on cell division rates. A fluorescent probe that is thought to sense changes in membrane potential also manifested an altered response in the PEMF-exposed cells whereas a fluorescent lipid bilayer fluidity probe produced evidence of decreased membrane fluidity in the exposed cells. An effect of PEMFs on ion transport mediated by either a direct or indirect effect on the cell membrane is suggested by these studies.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D010247:Paramecium; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
D014700:Verapamil