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. 2022 Dec;19(6):1147-1160.
doi: 10.1007/s13770-022-00473-1. Epub 2022 Aug 30.

The Role of Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation: A Systematic Review

Atiyeh Sadat Safavi  1   2 , Anna Sendera  3 , Nooshin Haghighipour #  4 , Agnieszka Banas-Zabczyk #  5
Affiliations

The Role of Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation: A Systematic Review

Atiyeh Sadat Safavi et al. Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) influence biological processes. This present study was aimed at the scientific literature on the use of EMFs in the mesenchymal stem cell differentiation process.

Materials and methods: The electronic search was carried out in PubMed and Web of Science, a database with a combination of the sinusoidal and pulsed low- and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields stimulation and mesenchymal stem cells differentiation, considering the period of publication until December 2021. The literature search identified 118 references in PubMed and Web of Science of which 46 articles were selected, respectively, according to the eligibility requirements.

Conclusion: The analysis of research indicated that EMFs are an easy-to-apply and practical way in cell therapy and tissue engineering when regulation of stem cells is required. Studies have shown that EMFs have positive effects on stem cell differentiation, accelerating its process regardless of the parameters and type of stem cells. However, the exact amplitude, frequency, duration of the electrical field, and application method remain elusive and need more study in future work.

Keywords: Differentiation; Low-frequency electromagnetic fields; Mesenchymal stem cells.

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Conflict of interest statement

We wish to confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram summarizing the deformation of ion channels due to exposure to EMFs
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Summary of the selection of articles for the review
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Percentage of studies on the differentiation of MSCs stimulated with EMFs from 2010 to 2021
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Possible positive and negative effects on mesenchymal stem cells A osteogenic B chondrogenic and C neural differentiation depending on the electromagnetic field parameters and exposure time
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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