Abstract
Magnetic fields could influence cellular development and function through an effect on the diffusion rate of ions across the plasma membrane.1,2 However, a comparison of the Larmor radius of an ion with its mean free path in solution indicates that a stationary magnetic field of megagauss strength would be required to measurably affect diffusion. An experimental approach to this question has been taken, in which magnetically-induced changes in ion diffusion rates have been studied by measuring the conductivity of CsCl solutions in the presence and absence of a magnetic field. For this purpose, an ac bridge circuit was employed in which the frequency was ~103 times lower than the Larmor frequency (~107 Hz at 1 kG). A null-point conductivity measurement was made to detect any imbalance of the bridge circuit resulting from application of a magnetic field, thus signifying an influence of the field on the ionic diffusion coefficient. No imbalance of the bridge circuit was observed following the application of fields of up to 1 kG strength, a result which is in conformity with theoretical predictions.
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© 1979 Plenum Press, New York
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Liboff, R.L., Mahlum, D.D., Labes, M.M., Cope, F.W., Swenberg, C.E. (1979). Theoretical Aspects of Magnetic Field Interactions With Biological Systems. In: Tenforde, T.S. (eds) Magnetic Field Effect on Biological Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9143-6_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9143-6_7
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