Effect of Electromagnetic Fields on the Male Mice Reproductive System

Purpose: Previous studies have been shown that electromagnetic fields (EMF) can affect on functional activity of the female mice reproductive system. The aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of low frequency of EMF on histopathological changes of young male mice reproductive system. Materials and Methods: Eighteen male balb/c mice (6 week ages) were divided -at random into 3 groups of 6 animals each. Two experimental groups were exposed to a 50 Hz magnetic field at 0.1 or 0.5 mT. for 8 hours/day for 10 days and another group exposed to sham condition served as the control. After the end of the exposure, the mice were anesthetized and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Their testis were removed for processing and serially section and histological staining methods for light microscopic study were done. Results: Quantitative analyses tubular germ cells showed a significantly decreasing number in the EMF exposure group 2 in comparison to experimental 1 and control (P<0.005). EMF exposure groups showed also an increasing internal diameter in somniferous tubules but external diameter in various groups was not significantly. Conclusion: Continuous exposure to low frequency of EMF may result in significant structural changes in male reproductive system and affect on organization of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis.