Cellular Respiration in Intermittent Magnetic Fields.

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Abstract
A microrespirometer at constant temperature (37 [plus or minus] 01[degree] C) was designed so that the specimen chamber remained between the poles of an electromagnet. With the power supply off the tissue specimen was under control conditions; experimental conditions obtained when the power was on. The specimen was suojected to intermittent magnetic fields of 10-min. duration for a total of 2 hr., or 6 control and 6 experimental readings. In some experiments the periods were 20, 30 and 60 min. Field strength ranged from 40 to l0, 000 gauss. Tissues were: ascites sarcoma 37, embryo mouse kidney and liver, adult mouse kidney and liver (14-21 weeks old), neonatal mouse liver, HeLa cells (in limited experiments), and baker''s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Field strenghts of 80 gauss or higher caused a 28. 3 [plus or minus] 2. 6% (p =. O2) depression of respiration of sarcoma 37; of 85 gauss and above, a 29. 3 [plus or minus] 3. 5% (p <. 05) respiration depression of embryo kidney; of 80 gauss and above, a 20. 6 [plus or minus] 1% (p =. 01) respiration depression of embryo and young neonatal (2-7 days) liver; and of 85 gauss and above a 40. 0 [plus or minus] 5. 0 (p =. 03) stimulation of yeast respiration. The respiration of adult kidney and of adult and older neonatal (8-11 days) liver was unaffected by any field strength. In 3 experiments with HeLa cells, fields of 80 gauss and above caused respiration depressions of 40 to 44%. A critical field strength of about 80-85 gauss exists for all effects observed; no effects were obtained below this strength, and increases produced effects of no greater magnitude. The effects were prompt and reversible.

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