STUDY OF MAGNETIC-FIELD EFFECTS ON FIBROBLAST-CULTURES .1. THE EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF STATIC AND EXTREMELY-LOW-FREQUENCY (ELF) MAGNETIC-FIELDS ON VITAL FUNCTIONS OF FIBROBLASTS

Cultured fibroblasts isolated from murine livers by tissue trypsinizat ion were exposed to a static magnetic field (0.49 T) and an extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.020 T). The cultures were exposed to magnetic fields on four consecutive days for exposure time s of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 min. After exposure the following paramete rs of the fibroblast cultures were determined: the dynamics of culture growth, the protein content and C-14-thymidine incorporation. The cyt ometric parameters of the fibroblasts were also assessed. The ELF magn etic field compromised vital functions of the fibroblasts (inhibition of culture growth, decreased cellular protein, lowered cytometric para meters) and caused a slowdown in the rate of C-14-thymidine incorporat ion which indicates altered DNA synthesis. Ongoing experiments with a static magnetic field have shown no effect on the vital functions of f ibroblasts.