title: Combined magnetic fields increased net calcium flux in bone cells.
abstract: Low energy electromagnetic fields (EMF) exhibit a large number of biological effects. A major issue to be determined is "What is the lowest threshold of detection in which cells can respond to an EMF?" In these studies we demonstrate that a low-amplitude combined magnetic field (CMF) which induces a maximum potential gradient of 10(-5) V/m is capable of increasing net calcium flux in human osteoblast-like cells. The increase in net calcium flux was frequency dependent, with a peak in the 15.3-16.3 Hz range with an apparent bandwidth of approximately 1 Hz. A model that characterizes the thermal noise limit indicates that non-spherical cell shape, resonant type dynamics, and signal averaging may all play a role in the transduction of low-amplitude EMF effects in biological systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, California.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fitzsimmons
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ryaby
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Baylink
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium