The Role of Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation: A Systematic Review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) influence biological processes. This present study was aimed at the scientific literature on the use of EMFs in the mesenchymal stem cell differentiation process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The electronic search was carried out in PubMed and Web of Science, a database with a combination of the sinusoidal and pulsed low- and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields stimulation and mesenchymal stem cells differentiation, considering the period of publication until December 2021. The literature search identified 118 references in PubMed and Web of Science of which 46 articles were selected, respectively, according to the eligibility requirements. CONCLUSION: The analysis of research indicated that EMFs are an easy-to-apply and practical way in cell therapy and tissue engineering when regulation of stem cells is required. Studies have shown that EMFs have positive effects on stem cell differentiation, accelerating its process regardless of the parameters and type of stem cells. However, the exact amplitude, frequency, duration of the electrical field, and application method remain elusive and need more study in future work.