title: Acute exposure to low-level CW and GSM-modulated 900 MHz radiofrequency does not affect Ba 2+ currents through voltage-gated calcium channels in rat cortical neurons.
abstract: We have studied the non-thermal effects of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on Ba(2+) currents (I Ba 2+) through voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC), recorded in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons using the patch-clamp technique. To assess whether low-level acute RF field exposure could modify the amplitude and/or the voltage-dependence of I Ba 2+, Petri dishes containing cultured neurons were exposed for 1-3 periods of 90 s to 900 MHz RF-EMF continuous wave (CW) or amplitude-modulated according to global system mobile communication standard (GSM) during whole-cell recording. The specific absorption rates (SARs) were 2 W/kg for CW and 2 W/kg (time average value) for GSM-modulated signals, respectively. The results obtained indicate that single or multiple acute exposures to either CW or GSM-modulated 900 MHz RF-EMFs do not significantly alter the current amplitude or the current-voltage relationship of I Ba 2+, through VGCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and General Physiology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Platano
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mesirca
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paffi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Micaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liberti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Apollonio
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aicardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D040421:Cell Phone; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008872:Microwaves; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D001464:Barium