Growth retardation, testicular stimulation, and increased melatonin synthesis by weak magnetic fields (50 Hz) in Djungarian hamsters, Phodopus sungorus.
Male Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus; 45 animals per group) were either sham-exposed or exposed to a sinusoidal magnetic field for 56 days (Experiment 1: 50 Hz, 450 microTesla peak; max. dB/dt = 140 mTesla s(-1); 24 hrs day(-1)). Except for day 7, no effects were observed with respect to body weights during exposure. However, testicular cell numbers were significantly increased by exposure (tetraploid (4C): p=0.022; diploid (2C): p=0.039). Rectangular magnetic fields (Experiment 2: 360 microTesla; max. dB/dt = 2.5 Tesla s(-1)) caused a significant (p<0.001) but transient suppressing effect on body weights. Significant increases were also observed in testicular cell numbers (4C: p=0.034; haploid (1C): p=0.014) and in serum melatonin (p=0.001). It is concluded that weak magnetic fields may affect reproductive and physiological functions in the mammalian species tested and that the degree of these effects depends upon the fields' gradients.
Niehaus
M
M
Institute of Reproductive Medicine of the University, Münster, Germany.
Brüggemeyer
H
H
Behre
H M
HM
Lerchl
A
A
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D017111:Phodopus; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*
D008550:Melatonin