Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/10004-1254-64-2013-2394
Histological and Cytological Examination of Rat Reproductive Tissue after Short-Time Intermittent Radiofrequency Exposure
Ivančica Trošić
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Mirjana Mataušić-Pišl
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Pavičić
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Marjanović
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The unfavourable outcomes of mobile phone use on male fertility have still not been fully elaborated. To establish the potentially adverse effects of everyday exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF) on humans, we performed a controlled animal study that aimed to investigate the influence of RF radiation on rat testis histology as well as the amount, mobility, and structure of epididymal free sperm cell population. Eighteen adult male rats were divided into two groups of nine. One group comprised sham-exposed control animals, while the other group endured total body irradiation for an hour daily during two weeks. A 915 MHz RF field, power density of 2.4 W m-2 and strength of 30 V m-1 was generated in a Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic chamber. The specific absorption rate (SAR) was 0.6 W kg-1. Body mass and temperature were measured before and after each exposure treatment. Immediately after the last exposure, the animals were sacrificed and testes removed and prepared for histological analysis. The free sperm cells were collected from the cauda epididymis and their quantity, quality, and morphology were microscopically determined using a haemocytometer. No statistically significant alteration in any of the endpoints was observed. This study found no evidence of an unfavourable effect of the applied RF radiation on testicular function or structure. Based on these results, we can conclude that short-time intermittent exposure to RF radiation does not represent a signifi cant risk factor for rat reproductive functions.
Keywords
915 MHz; mobile phone frequency; sperm cell; testes
Hrčak ID:
111763
URI
Publication date:
6.12.2013.
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