Environmental magnetic fields: Influences on early embryogenesis

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Cellular Biochemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jcb.2400510406· OSTI ID:6524439

Cameron, I L; Hardman, W E; Winters, W D; Zimmerman, S; Zimmerman, A M ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio (United States)

A 10-mG, 50 to 60-Hz magnetic field is in the intensity and frequency range that people worldwide are often exposed to in homes and in the workplace. Studies about the effects of 50- to 100-Hz electromagnetic fields on various species of animal embryos (fish, chick, fly, sea urchin, rat, and mouse) indicate that early stages of embryonic development are responsive to fluctuating magnetic fields. Chick, sea urchin, and mouse embryos are responsive to magnetic field intensities of 10-100 mG. Results from studies on sea urchin embryos indicate that exposure to conditions of rotating 60-Hz magnetic fields, e.g., similar to those in our environment, interferes with cell proliferation at the morula stage in a manner dependent on field intensity. The cleavage stages, prior to the 64-cell stage, were not delayed by this rotating 60-Hz magnetic field suggesting that the ionic surges, DNA replication, and translational events essential for early cleavage stages were not significantly altered. Studies of histone synthesis in early sea urchin embryos indicated that the rotating 60-Hz magnetic field decreased zygotic expression of early histone genes at the morula stage and suggests that this decrease in early histone production was limiting to cell proliferation. Whether these comparative observations from animal development studies will be paralleled by results from studies of human embryogenesis, as suggested by some epidemiology studies, has yet to be established. 38 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6524439
• Journal Information: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry; (United States) Vol. 51:4; ISSN JCEBD5; ISSN 0730-2312
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550800 -- Morphology
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BENTHOS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CELL DIVISION
CELL PROLIFERATION
DNA REPLICATION
ECHINODERMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
EMBRYOS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
FERTILIZATION
GENE REGULATION
HISTONES
INVERTEBRATES
MAMMALS
MICE
MITOSIS
NUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION
ONTOGENESIS
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
RODENTS
SEA URCHINS
VERTEBRATES