Prediction of Bone Cell Probability Distribution in Weak Electromagnetic Fields

Abstract

Electromagnetic field (EMF) effects on the cell membrane level, general and specific gene expression and signal pathways of bone cells have been examined in numerous studies. These studies were conducted on bioprocesses such as cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, cell differentiation, and metabolism. Genotoxic effects and apoptosis were observed during in vitro experiments. However, several observations after EMF exposure have been irreproducible and contradictory with other studies. Especially, statistic insignificance of EMF effects in bioprocesses occurred when comparing the exposure group with the control. Corresponding to the inconsistent observations, the types of EMF apparatus in vitro are various in parameters. In this thesis, the biological effects of EMFs on osteoblasts and osteoclasts were examined in the exposure of the static magnetic field (SMF) and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF). At the preliminary study, the nonlinear dose-response relationship was observed between the intensity of EMF exposure and cell proliferation of osteoblasts. A hypothesis was proposed for seeking the interpretation of nonlinearity by the principle of interference on cell probability. Several frameworks were formulated for building a theoretical structure of the hypothesis. The verification of the hypothesis was rooted in experimental designs. Two gradients of SMFs were applied to osteoblastic Saos-2 cells, and the biological data represented the interference on cell probability. The interference was also found in the cell probability of osteoblasts when they were affected by PEMFs. The similar results were reproduced at the co-culture of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in SMFs and PEMFs, which resulted in a unique entanglement of cells.