Influence of pulsed electromagnetic fields on regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy

Partially hepatectomised rats have been exposed immediately after surgery and every 12 hours thereafter to pulsed extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. Stereological analysis performed on electron micrographs has shown that the treatment limits the depletion of liver glycogen found in control untreated rats within the first post-operative day. The massive accumulation of lipid droplets found in control rats is also limited to about one half by exposing the animals to pulsed magnetic fields. The time taken for glycogen and lipid content to recover to values found at zero time decreases from seven to five days in animals undergoing treatment with pulsed electromagnetic fields. The liver wet weight and the total protein content show a pattern of changes which is consistent with the behaviour of glycogen and lipid content. Five days after operation the treated rats reach the values found at zero time, while control animals need seven days to reach the same values.