Effects of ELF magnetic fields on differentiation of cultured osteoblast-like cells

Abstract

In this study, the effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) region on the osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) for the differentiation was examined. Sinusoidal (60Hz) magnetic fields were about 3 mT. Collagen protein contents of cultures were measured microscopically by using ImSpector system. Using insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), the difference between the effect by exposure was examined with these during effects for the collagen content of these cells. From these results, the effects of exposure and IGF-I treatment caused significant increase on collagen synthesis of osteoblasts. It is supposed that the effects of magnetic fields go through the intercellular signaling pathway. Therefore, we experiment by the use of some inhibitors which block the intercellular signal transduction and examine which route the exposure passes in order to influence on differentiation of osteoblasts. As a results, it is suggested that ELF magnetic fields stimulate collagen synthesis because of activation of p38 MAPK and induce the cell differentiation. These results indicate that the mechanisms of differentiation related to IGF in the osteoblasts were altered by the magnetic fields of extremely low frequency. [J Physiol Sci. 2006;56 Suppl:S111]