Effects of a low-intensity electromagnetic field on fibroblast migration and proliferation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test if an extremely weak 1 GHz electromagnetic field (EMF), known to be in resonance with clusters of water molecules, has biological effects on human fibroblasts. We demonstrated that in an in vitro model of wound healing, this EMF can activate fibroblast migration. [³H]thymidine incorporation experiments demonstrated that the EMF could also activate fibroblast proliferation. Activation of the expression of human fibroblast growth factor 1 (HFGF1) after EMF exposure showed that molecular wound healing pathways are activated in response to this water-resonant EMF.

Keywords::

• Electromagnetic field
• Water-resonant
• Wound
• Fibroblast
• Gene activation

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Family Erling Persson Foundation, Manniskans Resurser AB, Swedish Diabetes Association, and Swedish Research Council for financial support.

Declaration of interestThe authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.