Microwave Radiation Effects on Cardiac Muscle Cells in Vitro

Abstract

Isolated cardiac muscle cells were exposed to microwave radiation in a temperature-controlled waveguide apparatus. Microwave radiation for 90 min at specific absorption rates (SAR) as low as 10 mW/g increases the permeability of cardiac cells to trypan blue. At 100 mW/g the inability of the cells to exclude trypan blue is concurrent with the release of lactic dehydrogenase into the suspending medium. However, when the SAR is decreased to 50 mW/g, trypan blue uptake is still elevated without the concomitant release of lactic dehydrogenase. Transmission electron micrographs of the exposed cells showed cellular damage only at the 100 mW/g exposure level. The microwave-reduced change in membrane permeability was unrelated to a macroscopic heating effect of microwave radiation on the cells, but appeared to be due to some other specific action of microwave radiation on isolated cardiac cells.