title: Influence of smartphone Wi-Fi signals on adipose-derived stem cells.
abstract: The use of smartphones is expanding rapidly around the world, thus raising the concern of possible harmful effects of radiofrequency generated by smartphones. We hypothesized that Wi-Fi signals from smartphones may have harmful influence on adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). An in vitro study was performed to assess the influence of Wi-Fi signals from smartphones. The ASCs were incubated under a smartphone connected to a Wi-Fi network, which was uploading files at a speed of 4.8 Mbps for 10 hours a day, for a total of 5 days. We constructed 2 kinds of control cells, one grown in 37°C and the other grown in 39°C. After 5 days of Wi-Fi exposure from the smartphone, the cells underwent cell proliferation assay, apoptosis assay, and flow cytometry analysis. Three growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, and transforming growth factor-β, were measured from ASC-conditioned media. Cell proliferation rate was higher in Wi-Fi-exposed cells and 39°C control cells compared with 37°C control cells. Apoptosis assay, flow cytometry analysis, and growth factor concentrations showed no remarkable differences among the 3 groups. We could not find any harmful effects of Wi-Fi electromagnetic signals from smartphones. The increased proliferation of ASCs under the smartphone, however, might be attributable to the thermal effect.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Korea University Medical Center; and †Korea Electronics Technology Institute.
authors.forename: Sang-Soon
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyung-Rok
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min-Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sanghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eul-Sik
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Seung-Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Deok-Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D040421:Cell Phone; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D059015:Wireless Technology
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor