Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on the diameter of seminiferous tubules in mice

Electromagnetic field radiation has the potential to disrupt the reproductive system, especially spermatogenesis, because the more superficial position of the male testes compared with the female ovaries increases the chance of exposure. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure on the diameter of seminiferous tubules over 3 generations of Swiss Webster mice. Using an experimental study design, we exposed the mice to 3 different voltages and magnetic fields: 3 kV/10 cm with a magnetic field of 5.5 ìT; 4 kV/10 cm with a magnetic field of 5.4 ìT; and 5 kV/10 cm with a magnetic field of 5.3 ìT. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis or Mann–Whitney test, as appropriate, and significance was set at an α value of 0.05 with 95% confidence intervals. This study found a significant decrease in the diameter of the seminiferous tubules in the intervention group compared with the control group (p < 0.05), and this decrease tended to be in direct proportion with increasing voltage and number of generations. (paper)