title: Effects of electromagnetic radiation from a cellular telephone on epidermal Merkel cells.
abstract: The number of reports on the effects induced by electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cellular telephones in various cellular systems is still increasing. Until now, no satisfactory mechanism has been proposed to explain the biological effects of this radiation except a role suggested for mast cells. Merkel cells may also play a role in the mechanisms of biological effects of EMR. This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of EMR from a cellular telephone (900 MHz) on Merkel cells in rats. A group of rats was exposed to a cellular telephone in speech position for 30 min. Another group of rats was sham-exposed under the same environmental conditions for 30 min. Exposure led to significantly higher exocytotic activity in Merkel cells compared with the sham exposure group. This finding may indicate the possible role of Merkel cells in the pathophysiology of the effects of EMR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology,Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. mkirmak@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: M Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Irmak
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztas
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yagmurca
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fadillioglu
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D040421:Cell Phone; D008297:Male; D018862:Merkel Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011840:Radiation, Nonionizing / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats