Me: The study that was done and written down below seem to suggest that the PEMF technology seem to be able to work only on chondrocyte cultures that are of low density for a long time, not high density which is shorter. This suggest that the proliferation of chondrocytes and the ability of using some form of external stimuli to make it divide and multiply more is more dependent on the availability of growth factors and the environmental constrictions. The implications means that if we ever plan to use electrical and ultrasonic technology to increase chondrocytes it would be a good idea to first add the needed extra growth factors, whatever they may be, into the extracellular cartilage matrix before we start using the PEMF and/or LIPUS devices.
Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on Human Articular Chondrocyte Proliferation
2001, Vol. 42, No. 4 , Pages 269-279
Monica De Mattei1, Angelo Caruso1†, Furio Pezzetti1, Agnese Pellati1, Giordano Stabellini3, Vincenzo Sollazzo2 and Gian Carlo Traina2
1Dipartimento di Morfologia ed Embriologia, Università Statute, 44100, Ferrara, Italy
2Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Terapie Avanzate, Università di Ferrara, 44100, Ferrara, Italy
3Istituto di Anatomic Umana Normale, Università Statute, 20133, Milano, Italy
†Correspondence: Angelo Caruso, Dipartimento di Morfologia ed Embriologia, University di Ferrara, via Fossato di Mortara 64, 44100, Ferrara, Italy+39+532-29153939-0532-291533 g4f@dns.unife.it
Low-energy, low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) can induce cell proliferation in several cell culture models. In this work we analysed the proliferative response of human articular chondrocytes, cultured in medium containing 10% FBS, following prolonged exposure to PEMFs (75 Hz, 2.3 mT), currently used in the treatment of some orthopaedic pathologies. In particular, we investigated the dependence of the proliferative effects on the cell density, the availability of growth factors and the exposure lengths. We observed that PEMFs can induce cell proliferation of low density chondrocyte cultures for a long time (6 days), when fresh serum is added again in the culture medium. In the same conditions, in high density cultures, the PEMF-induced increase in cell proliferation was observed only in the first three days of exposure. The data presented in this study show that the availability of growth factors and the environmental constrictions strongly condition the cellular proliferative response to PEMFs.
