Histopathological and Ultrastructural Studies on the Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on the Liver of Preincubated White Leghorn Chicken Embryo

Abstract

There are several reports indicating a linkage between exposures to 50-60 Hz electromagnetic fields and abnormalities in the early stages of embryonic development of chicken embryos. The present study was designed to demonstrate whether electromagnetic fields could be an environmental factor invoking histopathological and ultra-structural changes in livers of preincubated chicken embryos exposed to EMFs. Following other researchers and our previous results from different groups of Developmental Biology at the Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Shahid-Beheshti University, effects of most effective intensities (1.33, 2.66, 5.52, and 7.32 mT) of electromagnetic fields (EMFs, 50 Hz ) on livers of pre-incubated white leghorn chicken embryos were investigated . 150 healthy, fresh, and fertilized eggs (55-65 gr) were divided into 6 groups of experimental(1-4, n = 30), control (n = 60), and sham (n = 50). Experimental eggs (inside coil) were exposed to 4 different intensities (1.33, 2.66, 5.52, and 7.32 mT). Sham groups were located inside same coil, with no exposure, for 24 h before incubation. Control, sham, and experimental groups (1-4) were then incubated in an incubator (38 +/- 0.5 degrees C, 60% humidity) for 17 days. At the end of this period, livers of experimental, sham, and control groups were processed for light and transmission electrom microscopes (TEM and SEM) studies. So, livers of 17-day old chicken embryos were removed by C-sections, fixed in formalin 10%, stained with H&E and reticulin, and studied under light microscope. Others were prepared for electron microscopes (TEM and SEM) investigations. Morphological observations indicated exencephalic embryos, embryos with asymmetrical faces, crossed beak, shorter upper beak, deformed hind limbs, gastroschesis, anophthalmia, and microphthalmia. H&E and reticulin stainings, TEMS, and SEMs studies indicated EMFs would create hepato-cytes with fibrotic bands, severe steatohepatitis, vacuolizations, swollen and extremely electron-dense mitochondria, reduced invisible cristae, crystalized mitochondria with degenerated cristae, myelin-like figures, macrophages engulfing adjacent cells, dentated nuclei, nuclei with irregular envelopes, degenerated hepatocytes, abnormal lipid accumulations, lipid droplets pushing hepatocytes' nuclei to the corner of the cells, abundant cellular infiltrations cellular infiltrations inside sinusoid and around central veins, disrupted reticulin plexus, and release of chromatin into cytosol,, with partially regular water layers. An elevated oxyradical generation and, subsequently, cell membrane disruptions were the reasons for electromagnetic fields inducing cell damages.

The effects of prenatal long-duration exposure to 900-MHz electromagnetic field on the 21-day-old newborn male rat liver

“…MDA and SOD levels have been reported to increase and GSH to decrease in rats exposed to EMF at a frequency of 945 MHz and with a SAR value of 11.3 mW/ kg (31). High-frequency 4.7-T EMF has been shown to lead to LPO in mice by increasing TBARS (30).…”

Evaluation of testicular degeneration induced by low‐frequency electromagnetic fields

“…This type of pathological lesion was previously reported in some cell types. According to Lahijani et al (2009), hepatocytes of chicken embryos exposed to EMF of 50 Hz (1.33, 2.66, 5.52 and 7.32 mT) showed extremely electron dense mitochondria and degenerate cristae. Several mitochondria were found without cristae and their matrix appeared electron-opaque in myoid cells of rats exposed to 50 Hz and 8 mT EMF during intrauterine development (3 weeks) and postnatal life (5 weeks; Testosterone (nmol l −1 ) 6.0 ± 3.4 10.5 ± 3.4 10.3 ± 5.1 9.4 ± 6.4 KW = 3.3/p = 0.34 Testosterone (ng ml −1 ) 1.7 ± 0.9 3.0 ± 1.0 2.9 ± 1.4 2.7 ± 1.8 KW = 3.3/p = 0.34 Testosterone (CV%) 2.5 ± 3.5 2.2 ± 2.0 4.6 ± 2.3 Khaki et al, 2006).…”

Effects of sinusoidal electromagnetic fields on histopathology and structures of brains of preincubated white leghorn chicken embryos

“…Coil was located in an east -west direction, magnetic flow was parallel to long axis of embryo's body (longitude 351400 and latitude 511250) and perpendicular to long axis of the eggs (DiCarlo et al, 2000;Shams Lahijani et al, 2007, 2009Ubeda et al, 1994). A system of air condition (one, 5 cm from the entrance of coil and others beneath the coil) ventilated the coil chamber.…”

“…A system of air condition (one, 5 cm from the entrance of coil and others beneath the coil) ventilated the coil chamber. Frequency was always 50 Hz, with 3 most effective flux intensities of 1.33, 2.66, and 7.32 mT (Shams Lahijani et al, 2007, 2009.…”

“…Based on previous research reported about EMFs and postincubated chicken embryos (Juutilainen et al, 1987;Sandstrom et al, 1987;Ubeda et al, 1994), and investigating the effects of EMFs on preincubated chick embryos for the first time (Shams Lahijani and Rajabi Moham, 2000;Shams Lahijani and Sharifinia, 1999;Shams Lahijani and Sajadi, 2004;Shams Lahijani et al, 2007, 2009) and reports about brain diseases such as nerve cell damages due to an increased albumin intake across the BBB (Nikolova et al, 2005;Salford et al, 2003), the aim of this study was to find out how and if the most effective intensities of EMFs (Shams Lahijani et al, 2007Lahijani et al, , 2009) will have any effect at histological and cellular levels in addition to the process of apoptosis of one of the most important organs, brains, in preincubated white leghorn chicken embryos, using light and scanning electron microscope (SEM).…”