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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology
Effects of static magnetic fields on growth of Paramecium caudatum
Bioelectromagnetics, Volume 27, No. 1, Year 2006
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Description
Little is known about the influence of magnetic fields on growth of primitive eukaryotes such as the ciliate Paramecium. The latter are known to exhibit interesting characteristics such as electrotaxis, gravitaxis, and membrane excitability not commonly encountered in higher organisms. This preliminary study reports the effects of static magnetic fields on growth of Paramecium caudatum. The microorganisms were either permanently or 24 h on-and-off exposed to North and South polarity magnetic fields of average field gradient 4.3 T/m, fora period of 96 h. The growth rate and lag phase of all exposed populations were not significantly different from control ones exposed to normal geomagnetic field (P > .05). However, a significant negative shift in tmax (time taken for maximum growth) of 10.5%-12.2% and a significant decrease (P < .05) in population size of 10.2%-15.1% during the 96 h of experimental conditions were recorded for exposed populations compared to control. Our results suggest that magnetic fields, irrespective of polarity and exposure period reduce Paramecium growth by triggering early senescence of the population. The mechanisms underlying the small changes in population growth are unknown at this level, but various hypotheses have been suggested, including disorganization of swimming patterns resulting from (i) changes in cell membrane electric potential due to high speed movement through a gradient magnetic field and (ii) thermodynamic effect of anisotropic magnetic energies on cell membrane components affecting functioning of calcium channels. Altered swimming movements could in turn affect highly orchestrated processes such as conjugation, essential for survival of the organisms during development of adverse environmental conditions as thought to occur in the closed culture system used in this study. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors & Co-Authors
Elahee, K. B.
Mauritius, Reduit
University of Mauritius
Poinapen, Danny
Mauritius, Reduit
University of Mauritius
Statistics
Citations: 8
Authors: 2
Affiliations: 1
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1002/bem.20172
ISSN:
01978462
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study