3T3 cell motility and morphology before, during, and after exposure to extremely-low-frequency magnetic fields

Automated image cytometry techniques were used to measure motility and morphology in 3T3 fibroblasts exposed to extremely-low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields. Cell motility and morphology were measured as a function of time before, during, and after 3-4 hour exposures to vertically oriented, 100 microTRMS sinusoidal magnetic fields at various frequencies in the 10-63 Hz range. Sham exposures were also carried out. No static DC fields were applied, but the geomagnetic field was almost vertical and, therefore, had a large component (28.3 microT) parallel to the applied AC field. The morphology and motile behavior of the cells were characterized by mathematically defined descriptors, which were calculated and averaged for the exposure period as well as for control periods that preceded and followed the exposure period. Each experiment involved the tracking of 100 cells that were subjected to one of the test frequencies (unless a sham exposure was being conducted). Statistical analysis of the results showed that even small changes of 10-20% could be significant at the P < .05 level. Changes on this order were measured in a significant proportion of the experiments. However, because such results were seen for both the sham-exposed and the ELF-exposed cells, and because the range of values that was obtained for the sham exposures was the same as that obtained for the ELF exposures, we concluded that there was no evidence to show that any of the measured changes were attributable to the applied ELF magnetic field.