A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR STIMULATING/MODULATING BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES USING PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

摘要

A method for stimulating growth in biological tissue or sprouts, an apparatus and a use thereof. The apparatus comprises of a pulse generator and a plurality of coils in which pulsed currents will cause fluctuating magnetic fields in a predetermined region holding the material to be stimulated. The fluctuating magnetic fields will induce an electric field in the material. An enhanced effect has been detected in the regions where the electric fields are largest. The coils comprise a number of pairs of coils having, during a given pulse, magnetic fields in opposite directions in order to provide field gradients in the cells, micro organisms or tissue. Selecting a suitable number, size and positioning of coils will provide a homogeneous electric field in the predetermined region, which does not have any undesirable peaked maxima. When four or more coils are used, they can be combined in pairs arranged on opposite sides of the predetermined region, and with the adjacent coils conducting current in opposite directions and the opposing coils conducting currents in the same direction. Thereby the induced electridal fields add constructively inside the regions between the pairs of coils. In an apparatus for stimulating cell proliferation and differentiation, it is a desired feature that the generated fluctuations in the magnetic fields does not elicit action potentials of living cells since this will cause great inconvenience for the patient.