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20. An overview
Understanding the complex subject of environmental EMF exposure requires combined knowledge from a variety of scientific disciplines, each of which is struggling to thoroughly understand its own scientific discipline:
- an EMF is a complex physical phenomenon in itself, not completely understood by physicists;
- the EMF interacts somehow with the cell’s electromagnetic microenvironment, inducing electric fields, establishing cellular membrane-based amplification effects, influencing cell receptors cooperatively, and affecting important membrane ion transport mechanisms and ion distribution balances; these mechanisms are understood only partially by biophysicists;
- changed ion distribution balances, especially relating to calcium, influence complex intracellular and intercellular messenger systems, changing enzyme activities and cell metabolism, endocrine secretion, neurochemical production and gene transcription; these processes are poorly understood by biochemists;
- these biochemical events lead to other biochemical events and physiological changes such as accelerated cell proliferation rate, chromosomal damage, cell stress and immune system impairment; these effects are poorly understood by cell biologists;
- these biological effects may lead to impaired organ function or adverse health conditions such as memory loss and learning difficulties, neuro-degeneration, cancer, etc; these conditions are poorly understood by physicians.
Based on the emerging views of many scientists, Figure 22 and 23 provide a relatively comprehensive overview of biological effects and events which results from EMF exposure. Figure 22 depicts the general mechanisms that account for bioeffects. Figure 23 shows possible disease endpoints resulting from EMF interactions.
Fig. 22: Summary of scientific findings I
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