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Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 11, 2319-2325, November 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Evaluation of the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on mammalian follicle development

Sandra Cecconi1,4, Giancaterino Gualtieri1, Angela Di Bartolomeo1, Giulia Troiani1, Maria Grazia Cifone2 and Rita Canipari3

1 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, 2 Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L'Aquila and 3 Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, University `La Sapienza', Rome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pulsed, extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF–EMF) on in-vitro mouse pre-antral follicle development. Pre-antral follicles were cultured for 5 days and exposed to ELF–EMF at the frequencies of 33 or 50 Hz. ELF–EMF application did not affect follicular growth over a 3 day culture period, but on day 5 the growth of 33 Hz-exposed follicles was significantly reduced when compared with controls, while the 50 Hz-exposed follicles were not significantly affected. However, ELF–EMF severely impaired antrum formation at both frequencies, as 79 ± 3% of control follicles developed antral cavities compared with 30 ± 6% and 51.6 ± 4% of 33 or 50 Hz-exposed follicles respectively. The follicles with failed antrum formation showed lower oestradiol release and granulosa cell DNA synthesis, but these effects were not related to granulosa cell apoptosis. Furthermore, a high percentage of the in-vitro grown oocytes obtained from exposed follicles had a reduced ability to resume meiotic maturation when compared with controls. These results suggest that ELF–EMF exposure might impair mammalian female reproductive potentiality by reducing the capacity of the follicles to reach a developmental stage that is an essential pre-requisite for reproductive success.

Key words: apoptosis/extremely low frequency electromagnetic field/meiotic maturation/pre-antral follicles

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy. E-mail: cecconi{at}univaq.it


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