[The effect of static magnetic fields on osteoblast activity: an in-vitro study]

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the influence of static magnetic fields can be demonstrated in an osteoblast cell culture. For this in-vitro study we used osteoblasts originating from the embryonal calvariae of rats. The total material (n = 41) was divided in four groups: a) cell cultures submitted to the fields of attracting magnets (n = 11), b) cell cultures in the fields of repelling magnets (n = 10), c) cell cultures under the influence of demagnetized magnets (sham group, n = 11), d) control cultures (n = 9). The cell cultures were subjected for 21 days to magnetic fields (intensity 178 ml) using Neodynium magnets. Osteoblast activity was histo-chemically determined by staining the alkaline phosphatase produced. The quantitative evaluation was performed by measuring the optical density of the cell cultures and the results were statistically analysed. The results of these in-vitro study are: 1. The optical density of the cell cultures was nearly the same in samples with or without the influence of magnetic fields. 2. No divergent reaction could be found between the application of homogeneous and heterogeneous magnetic fields. 3. The different orientation of homogeneous magnetic fields in vertical or horizontal direction did not effect the osteoblast cell culture. 4. The cellular distribution in the osteoblast cultures does not follow the orientation of the magnetic field lines. 5. The form of the osteoblasts was nearly the same among all four groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)