Electromagnetic field effects on cells of the immune system: The role of calcium signalling

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5261345

Walleczek, J

During the past decade considerable evidence has accumulated demonstrating the exposures of cells of the immune system to relatively weak extremely-low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (< 300 Hz) can elicit cellular changes which might be relevant to in-vivo immune activity. However, knowledge about the underlying biological mechanisms by which weak fields induce cellular changes is still very limited. It is generally believed that the cell membrane and Ca{sup 2+} regulated activity is involved in bioactive ELF field-coupling to living systems. This article begins with a short review of the current state of knowledge concerning the effects of nonthermal levels of ELF electromagnetic fields on the biochemistry and activity of immune cells, and then closely examines new results which suggest a role for Ca{sup 2+} in the induction of these cellular field effects. Based on these findings it is proposed that membrane-mediated Ca{sup 2+} signalling processes are involved in the mediation of field effects on the immune system. 64 refs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5261345
• Report Number(s): LBL-31097; CONF-9104107--1; ON: DE92000852
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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551000 -- Physiological Systems
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOPHYSICS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CALCIUM
CALCIUM 45
CALCIUM ISOTOPES
CELL TRANSFORMATIONS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DNA REPLICATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LEUKOCYTES
MATERIALS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
METALS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
NUCLEI
NUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RECEPTORS
REVIEWS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSCRIPTION