Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
A Microphysiological System to Study Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Interaction during Inflammation
Published on: December 9, 2021
Acute effects of low-frequency electromagnetic fields on leukocyte-endothelial interactions in vivo
Akira Ushiyama1, Chiyoji Ohkubo
1Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan. ushiyama@niph.go.jp
Background:
To clarify the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the microcirculatory system, acute effects on leukocyte-endothelium interactions resulting from ELF-EMF exposure were examined with conscious BALB/c mice by means of a dorsal skinfold chamber.
Materials And Methods:
The fluorescent dye, rhodamine 6G, was injected into the caudal vein to visualize leukocytes in vivo and to analyze leukocyte-endothelium interactions. Mice were exposed in vivo to 50 Hz linear sinusoidal wave EMF at magnetic flux densities of 3, 10 or 30 mT, for 30 minutes.
Results:
The mean velocity of free flowing leukocytes in the center stream of venules revealed no distinct changes following exposure. However, at a flux density of 30 mT, the number of adherent leukocytes, defined as the total number of rolling and endothelium-adhering leukocytes, increased significantly following ELF-EMF exposure (p<0.05); no significant differences in adherent cell numbers were found in the 3 mT and 10 mT exposure groups or sham controls comparing pre- and post-exposure periods.
Conclusion:
These results demonstrated that high magnetic flux densities of ELF-EMF had an effect on leukocyte-endothelium interactions and indicated that a threshold level for this phenomenon exists in the range of 10-30 mT under these experimental conditions.
