Changes of hydration of rats' tissues after in vivo exposure to 0.2 Tesla steady magnetic field

Hydration and [3H]ouabain uptake by different tissues of adult male rats were measured immediately after exposure to homogenous 0.2 T steady magnetic field. A time-dependent decrease of hydration and adaptation, followed by disadaptation, was detected in brain and liver tissues in most of the rats after 3.5-5 h of exposure. The number of functional active ouabain binding receptors, which correlates with cell volume, was also decreased in brain, liver, and spleen and increased in kidney tissue after half an hour of exposure. It is suggested that cell hydration is a second messenger through which the SMF exerts its influence.