Eur J Anat, 3 (2): 93-100 (1999)

Effects of static magnetic fields on chick embryo mesonephros development

Piera V., Cobos P., Jove M., Torrente M.

Unidad de Anat. Humana y Embriologia, Dpto. de Ciencias Medicas Basicas, Universidad Rovira i Virgili, c/ Sant Llorenc, 21, E-43201 Reus, Spain

ABSTRACT Exposure to magnetic fields has been reported to affect several cellular processes, including growth and differentiation. In this study, we investigated how continuous exposure to 18 or 36 mT static magnetic fields affects the development of the chick embryo mesonephros. A total of 120 fertile White Leghorn eggs were used: 40 eggs were incubated under control conditions (incubator with the coil off) and 80 were incubated under the effects of static magnetic fields (incubator with the coil on). The embryos of the exposed groups were subjected to static magnetic fields continuously from day 0 of incubation to the moment of sacrifice. Half of the embryos in each group (both control and exposed eggs) were sacrificed on the 5th day of incubation and the other half on the 10th day. At the earlier stage of embryogenesis (5th day), the mesonephros was smaller and there were fewer mesonephric tubules in the groups exposed to static magnetic fields than in controls, suggesting that magnetic fields have an inhibitory effect on embryonic development. However, after 10 days of exposure to static magnetic fields, the stage of development was more advanced and the mesonephros was larger in the exposed groups than in the controls. Moreover, the mesonephric tubules had started to degenerate in the exposed embryo groups but not in the control group. The results suggest that static magnetic fields stimulate the development and maturity of chick embryo structures.

Keywords: animal experiment, animal tissue, article, chick embryo, controlled study, embryo development, environmental exposure, histology, kidney development, magnetic field, mesonephros, morphometrics, nonhuman, organogenesis