Magnetite in human tissues: A mechanism for the biological effects of weak ELF magnetic fields

Abstract

Due to the apparent lack of a biophysical mechanism, the question of whether weak, lowfrequency magnetic fields are able to influence living organisms has long been one of the most controversial subjects in any field of science. However, two developments during thc past decade have changed this perception dramatically, the first being the discovery that many organisms, including humans, biochemically precipitate the ferrimagnetic mineral magnetite (Fe,O,). In the magnetotactic bacteria, the geomagnetic response is based on either biogenic magnetite or greigite (Fe,S,). and reasonably good evidence exists that this is also the case in higher animals such as the honey bee. Second, the development of simple behavioral conditioning experiments for training honey bees to discriminate magnetic fields demonstrates conclusively that at least one terrestrial animal is capable of detecting earth-strength magnetic fields through a sensory process. In turn, the existence of this ability implies the presence of specialized receptors which interact at the cellular level with weak magnetic fields in a fashion exceeding thermal noise. A simple calculation shows that magnetosomes moving in response to earth-strength ELF fields are capable of opening trans-membrane ion channels, in a fashion sitnilar to those predicted by ionic resonance models. Hence, the presence of trace levels of biogenic magnetite in virtually all human tissues examined suggests that similar biophysical processes may explain a variety of weak field ELF bioeffects. o 1992 Wiley-LiPs, Inc.

Magnetic Birefringence Study of the Magnetic Core Structure of Ferritin

“…The ferritin-mineral complex with a magnetite (or a maghemite) as a core mineral, is called magnetoferritin (MFer) [1]. Discovery of biological magnetite in the human brain [6] and relation of its presence with neurodegenerative disorders [7] have prompted investigation of physicochemical properties of ferritin and magnetoferritin [8,9]. Of particular interest is the search for methods allowing detection of magnetite inside ferritin proteins both in vitro and in vivo.…”

Physiological origin of biogenic magnetic nanoparticles in health and disease: from bacteria to humans

“…As a rule, BMNPs in multicellular organisms vary in shape, size, and other properties, and are not enclosed in magnetosome vesicles. 39,68 In archaea, in which the surroundings of BMNPs have been adequately investigated, magnet-sensitive inclusions have been found, which are surrounded by a homogeneous matrix with organic (mainly protein) components. 39 The absence of vesicles or a similar organic matrix consisting of protein filaments around magnetite BMNPs 68 has also been observed in human cells.…”

“…There is no lipid magnetosome vesicle surrounding BMNPs 68 or homologues of proteins responsible for vesicle formation in humans. 23,115 That is why it is possible that the favorable chemical surroundings for BMNP growth are provided inside the organic matrix or another type of organic material (Figure 6), as is observed in non-MTB with BMNPs.…”

Experimental investigation on blood magnetic contamination in the presence of drug molecules

“…The magnetic domains of these particles can be aligned by the application of an external magnetic field; the magnitude and time course of the resultant field depend on the quantity of magnetic material and the degree of particle motion. In this respect, other authors [2][3][4][5][6] formulated a possible explanation of the living body sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, based on the hypothesis of magnetic particle contamination. According to this theory, small polluting magnetic particles from the environment are present not solely in the air dust, but they are also deposited on the surface of laboratory devices and penetrate into plastics and glass, into chemicals and purified water [7].…”