The Activity of Respiratory Enzymes in Mitochondria of Hepatocytes of Rats Exposed to Constant Magnetic Fields

Abstract

Despite the continuing controversy over the influence that magnetic fields might have on physiological processes and the structure of cells, recent experimental evidence suggests that humans exposed to static magnetic fields generated by medical and other technical eqipment may face serious health hazards (Feinendegen and Muhlensiepen 1988, Kavaliers and Ossenkopp 1988, Rudolph et al. 1988). There is also evidence that magnetic fields modify biochemical processes of cells and, thereby, have a beneficial effect eg. on bone repair processes (Papatheofanis 1984, Blumlein et al. 1984). It has already been shown that enzyme control mechanisms in proliferating cells are modified by strong static magnetic fields (Feinendegen and Muhlesiepen, 1988) and that respiration processes are disturbed by changes in mitochondrial enzymes following magnetic field exposure (Gorczynska et al. 1986). Perhaps a magnetic field should be considered as a stress generating factor because peripheral blood level of stress indicators such as catecholamines and Cortisol increase following exposure to a magnetic field (Barnothy and Sumegi 1969, Dixey and Rein 1982, Gorczynska and Wegrzynowicz 1989).