The Role of PEMFs on Bone Healing: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Bone responses to pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) have been extensively studied by using devices that expose bone cells to PEMFs to stimulate extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis for bone and cartilage repair. The aim of this work was to highlight in which bone healing phase PEMFs exert their action. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of PEMFs both on human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) and on primary human osteoblasts (hOBs) by testing gene and protein expression of early bone markers (on hASCs) and the synthesis of late bone-specific proteins (on hOBs) as markers of bone remodeling. Our results indicate that PEMFs seem to exert their action on bone formation, acting on osteogenic precursors (hASCs) and inducing the commitment towards the differentiation pathways, unlike mature and terminally differentiated cells (hOBs), which are known to resist homeostasis perturbation more and seem to be much less responsive than mesenchymal stem cells. Understanding the role of PEMFs on bone regenerative processes provides important details for their clinical application.

The Influence of Magnetic Fields, Including the Planetary Magnetic Field, on Complex Life Forms: How Do Biological Systems Function in This Field and in Electromagnetic Fields?

“…Such studies have been performed on a variety of species, and investigators have used bone cells both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro studies have been used in attempts to better understand the genes influenced by PEMFs on bone cells or osteogenic precursor differentiation [125]. In guinea pigs, exposure to both static and PEMFs enhanced bone repair of mandibular osteotomies based on histology [126].…”

Bone Healing Gone Wrong: Pathological Fracture Healing and Non-Unions—Overview of Basic and Clinical Aspects and Systematic Review of Risk Factors

“…Pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation (PEMFs) represents another approach for the treatment of bone non-unions, and is FDA-approved [130,131]. Preliminary studies are promising [132], with in vitro and in vivo trials supporting the use of PEMF in cases of osteoporosis and delayed union [133][134][135][136]. A clinical trial involving distal radius fractures is currently ongoing ("not yet recruiting" in 02/2020).…”

The Influence of Magnetic Fields including the Geomagnetic Field of Earth on Complex Life Forms: A Silent “Partner” in Human Health and Disease?

“…Such studies have been performed on a variety of species, and investigators have used both in vivo studies and in vitro studies using bone cells. In vitro studies have been used in attempts to better understand the genes influenced by PEMFs on bone cells or osteogenic precursor differentiation [122]. In guinea pigs, exposure to both static and PEMFs enhanced bone repair of mandibular osteotomies based on histology [123].…”