Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Combined magnetic fields increased net calcium flux in bone cells

  • Laboratory Investigations
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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 nonspherical cell shape, resonant type dynamics, and signal averaging may all play a role in the transduction of lowamplitude EMF effects in biological systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sagan LA (1992) Epidemiological and laboratory studies of power frequency electric and magnetic fields. JAMA 268:625–629

    Google Scholar 

  2. Luben RA (1991) Effects of low-energy electromagnetic fields (pulsed and dc) on membrane signal transduction processes in biological systems. Health Phys 61:15–28

    Google Scholar 

  3. Pollack SR (1984) Bioelectrical properties of bone. Orthop Clin NA 15:3–14

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bassett CAL, Becker RO (1962) Generation of electric potentials by bone in response to mechanical stress. Science 137:1063–1064

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cadossi R, Bersani F, Cossarizza A, Zucchini P, Emilia G, Torelli G, Franceschi C (1992) Lymphocytes and electromagnetic fields. FASEB J 6:2667–2674

    Google Scholar 

  6. Walleczek J, Budinger TF (1992) Pulsed magnetic field effects on calcium signaling in lymphocytes: dependence on cell status and field intensity. FEBS Lett 314:351–355

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ozawa H, Abe E, Shibaski Y, Fukuhara T, Suda T (1989) Electric fields stimulate DNA synthesis of mouse osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3) by a mechanism involving calcium ions. J Cell Physiol 138:477–483

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yost MG, Liburdy RP (1992) Time-varying and static magnetic fields act in combination to alter calcium signal transduction in the lymphocyte. FEBS Lett 296:117–122

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rozek RJ, Sherman ML, Liboff AR, McLeod BR, Smith SD (1987) Nifedipine is an antagonist to cyclotron resonance enhancement of 45-calcium incorporation into human lymphocytes. Cell Calcium 8:413–427

    Google Scholar 

  10. Berridge MJ (1993) Inositol trisphosphate and calcium signaling. Nature 361:315–325

    Google Scholar 

  11. Farley JR, Hall SL, Herring S (1993) Calcitonin acutely increases net 45Ca uptake and alters ALP specific activity in human osteosarcoma cells. Metabolism 42:97–104

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sato N, Wang X, Greer MA (1992) Protein kinase C modulates cell swelling-induced calcium flux and prolactin secretion in GH4C1 cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 86:137–142

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fitzsimmons RJ, Strong D, Mohan S, Baylink DJ (1992) Lowamplitude, low-frequency electric field-stimulated bone cell proliferation may in part be mediated by increased IGF-II release. J Cell Physiol 150:84–89

    Google Scholar 

  14. Zhang K, Papageorge AG, Lowy DR (1992) Mechanistic aspects of signaling through Ras in NIH 3T3 cells. Science 257:671–674

    Google Scholar 

  15. Farley JR, Wergedal JE, Hall SL, Herring S, Tarbaux NM (1991) Calcitonin has direct effects on 3H-thymidine incorporation and ALP activity in human osteoblast-line cells. Calcif Tissue Int 48:297–301

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for quantitation of microgram amounts of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–255

    Google Scholar 

  17. Weaver JC, Astumian RD (1990) The response of living cells to very weak electric fields: the thermal noise limit. Science 247: 459–462

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pilla AA (1993) State of the art in electromagnetic therapeutics. In: Blank M (ed) Electricity and magnetism in biology and medicine. San Francisco Press, San Francisco, pp 17–22

    Google Scholar 

  19. Fitzsimmons RJ, Baylink DJ, Ryaby JT, Magee FP (1993) EMF-stimulated bone-cell proliferation. In: Blank M (ed) Electricity and magnetism in biology and medicine. San Francisco Press, San Francisco, pp 899–901

    Google Scholar 

  20. McLeod KJ, Lee RC, Ehrlich HP (1987) Frequency dependence of electric field modulation of fibroblast protein synthesis. Science 236:1465

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kalmun AJ (1982) Electric and magnetic field detection in elasmobranch fishes. Science 218:916–918

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tenforde TS (1992) Microscopic dosimetry of extremely lowfrequency electric and magnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics (suppl) 1:61–66

    Google Scholar 

  23. McLeod BR, Liboff AR (1987) Cyclotron resonance in cell membranes: the theory of the mechanism. In: Blank M, Findl E, (eds) Mechanistic approaches to interactions of electric and electromagnetic fields with living systems. Plenum Press, New York, 97

    Google Scholar 

  24. Halle B (1988) On the cyclotron resonance mechanism for magnetic field effects on transmembrane conductivity. Bioelectromagnetics 9:381–388

    Google Scholar 

  25. Adair RK (1991) Constraints on biological effects of weak extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Phys Rev A 43: 1039–1048

    Google Scholar 

  26. McLeod BR, Liboff AR, Smith SD (1992) Electromagnetic gating in ion channels. J Theor Biol 158:15–31

    Google Scholar 

  27. Bianco B, Chiabrera A (1992) From the Langevin-Lorentz to the Zeeman model of electromagnetic effects on ligand-receptor binding. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 28:355–363

    Google Scholar 

  28. Lednev VV (1991) Possible mechanism for the influence of weak magnetic fields on biosystems. Bioelectromagnetic 12:71–75

    Google Scholar 

  29. Edmonds DT (1993) Larmor precession as a mechanism for the detection of static and alternating magnetic fields. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 30:3–12

    Google Scholar 

  30. Bassett CAL, Chohski HR, Hernandez E, Pawluk RJ, Strop M (1979) The effect of pulsing electro-magnetic fields on cellular calcium anc calcification of nonunions. In: Brighton CT, Black J, Pollack SR (eds) Electrical properties of bone and cartilage. Grune and Stratton, New York, pp 427–441

    Google Scholar 

  31. Fukayama S, Tashjian AH (1990) Stimulation by parathyroid hormone of 45Ca uptake in osteoblast-like cells: possible involvement of alkaline phosphatase. Endocrinology 126:1941–1949

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, 11201 Benton Street, 92354, Loma Linda, California

    R. J. Fitzsimmons & D. J. Baylink

  2. Research and Development, OrthoLogic Corp, 85034, Phoenix, Arizona

    J. T. Ryaby & F. P. Magee

  3. Department of Research 151, Jerry Pettis VA Hospital, 11201 Benton Street, 92354, Loma Linda, California

    R. J. Fitzsimmons & D. J. Baylink

Authors
  1. R. J. Fitzsimmons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. T. Ryaby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. P. Magee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. J. Baylink
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fitzsimmons, R.J., Ryaby, J.T., Magee, F.P. et al. Combined magnetic fields increased net calcium flux in bone cells. Calcif Tissue Int 55, 376–380 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00299318

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00299318

Key words

Search

Navigation