Objective      To explore the effect of pulsed electric-magnetic field (PEMF

8 Hz

200 mT) on the intracellular calcium ions and cell membrane potential in human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3.       Methods      SKOV3 cells were divided into 3 groups: a control group

a PEMF group

and a PEMF+verapamil group. The cells in the control group did not receive any treatment

while the cells in the other 2 groups were exposed to PEMF for

1 h

and 50 μmol/L verapamil was given in the PEMF+verapamil group. Calcium ions were labeled with fluorescence probe Fluo-3/AM

and cell membrane potential was labeled with fluorescence probe DiBAC4(3). A confocal laser scanning microscope was utilized to detect the changes of mean fluorescence intensity

and flow cytometry was adopted to assay cell apoptosis.       Results      Fluo-3/AM fluorescence intensity increased after the cells were exposed to PEMF

and the changes were statistically significant compared with the control group (P0.05). The Ca

2+

fluorescence intensity was decreased significantly after treatment with verapamil (P0.05). DiBAC4(3) fluorescence intensity increased after the cells were treated with PEMF (P0.05)

indicating the depolarization of cell membrane

but verapamil exerted no remarkable effect on the depolarization of cell membrane (P0.05). The apoptosis rates between PEMF group and control group were not significantly different (P0.05).       Conclusion      PEMF induces depolarization in SKOV3 cell membrane

and thus voltage-dependent calcium channels are opened to increase the intracellular Ca

2+

level. But PEMF does not induce cell apoptosis.