Volume 18, Issue 50 (10-2005)
Abstract
Over the past two decades, electeromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been used effectively to treat diseases, such as musculoskeletal and chondrogenic disorders. Proper application of EMFs is presumed to stimulate osteogenesis. To investigate the effects of EMFs on limb bud development in in vitro, an organ culture system, using Eagle’s minimum essential medium (Eagle’s MEM), supplemented with 15% human embryo cord serum, was used. Three test groups of amputated Balb/C mouse limb buds (n=70), included experimental (E) exposed to EMFs, sham (sh) exposed groups with no exposure to EMFs and control (C). Limb buds of two groups (E and sh) were amputated from mouse embryos, on day 11.5 of gestation and cultured for 2 days the group C was removed, on day 13.5. Morphological and histological examinations showed significant changes occured in experimental groups, comparing with sham and control groups. In both fore and hind limbs, development in proximo-distal (P-D) and anterio-posterior (A-P) axes was significant (P<0.001). Number of chondrocytes and mitotic divisions of mesenchymal cells and red blood cells revealed significant increase (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001), compared with sham and control groups. However, number of mesenchymal cells showed significant decrease (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001) and there was no significant difference with degenerated cell counts among three groups. These findings suggest that EMFs (50 Hz / 131 G, for 2 hrs) have progressive effects on limb bud development.
