Experimental study of low-frequency electroacupuncture-induced differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes.
"In the present study, we investigated the effect of low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) on the differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into chondrocytes and the molecular mechanism involved. We isolated BMSCs from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat bone marrow. Third-generation SD rat BMSCs (P3 BMSCs) were harvested and characterized by flow cytometry with FITC staining. Data indicated that the positive rates of CD90 and CD45 were 98.22 and 1.91%, respectively, indicating the high purity of the BMSCs. The P3 BMSCs were treated with EA for 15 or 30 min daily for 7 or 14 days. Using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we found that EA induced morphological changes in the BMSCs, displaying typical morphology of early chondrocytes. In addition, we found that the cytoplasm and extracellular matrices were metachromatically stained by toluidine blue in the treated cells in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that EA treatment resulted in the expression of glycosaminoglycan. Furthermore, upon immunohistocytochemical staining and Western blotting, we found that EA treatment significantly and dose-dependently induced expression of chondrocyte-specific matrix protein type II collagen, which may have been mediated by the transcription factor Sox9, as the mRNA expression of Sox9 was found to be significantly increased after EA treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that EA can be employed as a novel non-drug-inducing method for the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes."
Now this was note an in vivo study in a life human being. Thus there may be interference from bone and skin cells.
"stimulated electrically with low-frequency EA of 2 Hz with square-wave burst pulses (duration 1.1 sec) and a burst frequency of 100 Hz (duration 2.2 sec) with alternating polarity. The intensity of the output voltage was 17.3 V and the pulse width was shorter than 1 msec. The acupuncture stimulation was applied for 15 or 30 min, daily."
It's unknown how EA compares with PEMF.
Here's a related study:
Experimental study of millimeter wave-induced differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes.
"Low power millimeter wave irradiation is widely used in clinical medicine. We describe the effects of this treatment on cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Cells cultured using the whole marrow attachment culture method proliferated dispersedly or in clones. Flow cytometric analyses showed that the MSCs were CD90 positive, but negative for CD45. The negative control group (A) did not express detectable levels of Cbfa1 or Sox9 mRNA at any time point, while cells in the millimeter wave-induced groups (B and C) increasingly expressed both genes after the fourth day post-induction. Statistical analysis showed that starting on the fourth day post-induction, there were very significant differences in the expression of Cbfa1 and Sox9 mRNA between groups A and B as well as A and C at any given time point, between treated groups B and C after identical periods of induction, and within each treated group at different induction times. Transition electron microscopy analysis showed that the rough endoplasmic reticulum of cells in the induced groups was richer and more developed than in cells of the negative control group, and that the shape of cells shifted from long-spindle to near ellipse. Toluidine blue staining revealed heterochromia in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix of cells in the induced groups, whereas no obvious heterochromia was observed in negative control cells. Induced cells also exhibited positive immunohistochemical staining of collagen II, in contrast to the negative controls. These results show that millimeter wave treatment successfully induced MSCs to differentiate as chondrocytes and the extent of differentiation increased with treatment duration. Our findings suggest that millimeter wave irradiation can be employed as a novel non-drug inducing method for the differentiation of MSCs into chondrocytes."
"Millimeter wave irradiation refers to high-frequency electromagnetic waves with wavelengths of 1 to 10 mm and frequencies of 30 to 300 GHz."
"oscillation experienced by living biological tissue (0.5x1010-3x1012 Hz) in the metabolic process falls within the frequency range of millimeter wave treatment, perhaps allowing the millimeter wave energy to be absorbed through resonance of biological tissue"
"Hypertrophic chondrocytes were not observed throughout the two weeks of induced culture, suggesting that millimeter wave treatment did not promote the differentiation of MSCs into OBs in short-term culture. This mechanism may be associated with the non-thermal effects caused by electromagnetic coherent oscillations following millimeter wave action."
"millimeter wave treatment enhances cellular metabolic function"
"daily millimeter wave irradiation treatments with wavelengths between 7.5 and 10.0 mm and a power density of 4 Mw/cm2 for 30 or 60 min can successfully induce bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into chondrocytes that excrete chondrocyte-specific matrix glycosaminoglycan and type II collagen. Our results also indicate that the 60-min treatment is more effective than the 30-min treatment. The mechanism of this transition may be related to the notable up-regulation of Cbfa1[Runx2] and Sox9 mRNA, which elevates glyco-saminoglycan and type II collagen production."
These studies do not prove for sure that an EA would induce chondrogenesis in the epiphyseal growth plate or that the chondrocytes would go on to undergo endochondral ossification. But it would be easy to test, as you would just hook up the EA to your bone epiphysis and see if you grow taller. Note that I have no idea how to operate such a machine.
Here's another study about millimeter waves and Cyclin D1:
Millimeter wave treatment promotes chondrocyte proliferation via G1/S cell cycle transition
"The effect of millimeter waves on the G1/S cell cycle progression in chondrocytes and the underlying mechanism was investigated. Chondrocytes isolated from the knee of SD rats were cultured and identified using toluidine blue staining. The second generation chondrocytes were collected and stimulated with or without millimeter waves for 48 h. Chondrocyte viability was analyzed using the MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution of chondrocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. mRNA and protein expression levels of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4 and CDK6) and p21 were detected using real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Millimeter wave stimulation was found to significantly enhance chondrocyte viability. Moreover, the percentage of chondrocytes in the G0/G1 phase was significantly decreased, whereas that in the S phase was significantly increased. In addition, following millimeter wave treatment, cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6 expression was significantly upregulated, whereas p21 expression was significantly downregulated. The results indicate that millimeter wave treatment promotes chondrocyte proliferation via cell cycle progression."
"The KFA-100A millimeter wave therapeutic instrument was manufactured by Zhongcheng Kangfu Technology Co., Ltd. (Beijing, China) at wavelengths of 7.5-10.0 mm, a power density of 4 mw/cm2, and a radiation area of 33.2±3x45.6±4 mm."
"Treatment for the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells following treatment for 15, 30 and 60 min of millimeter waves for 4 times, was 74.48±1.54, 69.84±1.46 and 64.80±1.47%, all of which were significantly lower than that of untreated cells (76.90±1.79%)." So for 60 min millimeter wave treatment 12% more cells passed the G1 checkpoint and underwent cellular proliferation. That's extremely significant.
So depending on the synergy of MWT with other methods like LSJL or Ultrasound it could be a useful addition. It could also be used alternatively.
Electroacupuncture promotes insulin-like growth factors system in ovariectomized osteoporosis rats., states that EA may increase IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 levels in some circumstances.
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