Cytological effects of 60 Hz magnetic fields on human lymphocytes in vitro: sister-chromatid exchanges, cell kinetics and mitotic rate.

Incubation for 72 h of human peripheral blood cultures in the presence of 60 Hz sinusoidal magnetic fields (MF) at magnetic flux densities of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mT led to stimulation of lymphocyte proliferation but had no influence on the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE). The cytotoxic potential of MF combined with the mutagen Mitomycin-C also was analyzed. An opposite effect between MF exposure and Mitomycin-C treatment in terms of cell kinetics and mitotic rate was found, whereas no variation in SCE frequency was observed for this coexposure condition.