Arch.Geflügelk., 70 (1). S. 41–47, 2006, ISSN 0003-9098. © Verlag Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co.
Stuttgart
Changes in thyroid hormone levels in chicken embryos exposed to
extremely low frequency electromagnetic field
Einfluss von elektromagnetischen Feldern mit sehr geringer Frequenz auf den Spiegel der
Schilddrüsenhormone bei Hühnerembryonen
A. Sechman, J. Niedziólka2, M. Lis2 and J. Rzasa1
Manuskript eingegangen am 6. August 2004, angenommen am 15. Oktober 2004
Introduction
Earlier studies have shown that weak, extremely low fre-
quency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) can affect the
embryonic development of mammals (ZUSMAN et al., 1990;
PAFKOVA et al., 1994) and chicks (CAMERON et al., 1993;
PAFKOVA et al. 1994; UBEDA et al., 1994; TOMAN et al. 2002;
LIS and NIEDZIÓLKA, 2004). It has been reported that the ex-
posure of the embryonic chickens to EMF increases the rate
of morphological abnormalities of the embryos (DELGADO
et al. 1982; JUUTILAINEN et al., 1987; BERMAN et al., 1990;
UBEDA et al., 1994; FARRELL et al., 1997), decreases chick-
ens’ hatchability (TOMAN et al., 2002) and elevates their
mortality (NIEDZIÓLKA and JANOWSKI, 1996; BRENT, 1999;
VETERANY et al., 2001). Moreover, the earlier data from our
laboratory revealed that weak electromagnetic fields of
electromagnetic component of up to 35 V/m (50 Hz) and
magnetic component of up to 1380 nT (50 Hz) that can be
found in some house incubators stimulate the hatching of
the chick embryos. The stimulation was reflected in the
shorter incubation period and higher passive immunity of
the chicks (NIEDZIÓLKA and JANOWSKI, 1996).
Several lines of evidence indicate that the morphologi-
cal changes following electromagnetic field exposure are
accompanied by some endocrine changes. Recently, it has
been demonstrated that ELF-EMF evokes morphological
changes in rat thyroid gland (MATAVULJ et al., 1999), affects
its endocrine function and decreases the blood plasma thy-
roxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations (RA-
JKOVIC et al., 2001, 2003). Although chicken embryogene-
sis is the most useful and sensitive model for EMF investi-
gations (PAFKOVA et al., 1994; BRENT, 1999), in the available
literature there are no studies showing the influence of
ELF-EMF on the function of the hypothalamic-pitui-
tary-thyroid axis in the chick embryo. Therefore, the
present study was undertaken to answer the question
whether the exposure of the embryonic chick to ELF-EMF
may change the activity of the thyroid gland and affect
blood plasma levels of thyroid hormones. It is well-known
that thyroid hormones play crucial role during chicken em-
bryogenesis and affect time of hatching and the length of
incubation (KING and MAY, 1984; SCANES et al., 1987; IQBAL
1Department of Animal Physiology,
2Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene, Agricultural University of
Cracow, Cracow, Poland
Arch.Geflügelk. 1/2006
et al., 1989; DARRAS et al., 2000). Consequently, in this
study some physical hatching parameters, i.e. embryo
mortality, and timing of external pipping and hatching
(during the last days of incubation of eggs) were deter-
mined to find out the possible linkage between the thyroid
gland function (affected by ELF-EMF) and embryonic de-
velopment.
Materials and methods
Materials
Fertilized eggs were obtained from the same parental
broiler flock of ISA 215 at 50 week of age. 125I-labeled T4,
T3 and rT3 (spec. act. 135-165 µCi/µg) were purchased
from DuPont NEN (Belgium). Unlabeled T4, T3 and rT3
used for standards preparation and T3 and T4 antisera
were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (Poznan, Poland). An-
ti-rT3 serum was a generous gift from Prof. J. Kosowicz
(University of Medicial Sciences, Poznan, Poland).
Experimental Design
The three hundred and twenty eggs, divided randomly into
two equal groups of 160 eggs, were incubated in two iden-
tical Masalles type 65 DIGIT incubators. Eighty eggs from
each group were used for blood collection while the next
80 for investigation of the hatching parameters. The eggs
of control group were incubated in the standard equipped
incubator while the experimental ones in the incubator fit-
ted with three, vertically situated, parallel coils (φ 0.51 m;
with 0.45 m distance between them) to induce the linearly
polarised magnetic field with horizontal vector. Several
earlier hatches carried out simultaneously in the control
and experimental incubator with unfed coils revealed no
differences in embryo mortality and timing of external pip-
ping and hatching. During the present experiment the coils
in the experimental incubator were fed from standard 230
V and 50 Hz current via a transformer which provided 7
V/160 mA output (AC) to reduce the electric field. More-
over, to diminish the electric component of EMF and to ob-
tain mainly the magnetic component of the field the coils
were screened with earthed copper sheet. It had been es-
tablished that magnetic field generated by coils was paral-
lel to the coil axis and was homogenous and stable (B=10 ±
0.5 µT) within cylindrical space of 30 cm lying at the cen-
tre, i.e. at the symmetry axis of the coil system. Values of
the magnetic and electric component of EMF in incubators
were measured with Feldmeter and Geo-Graph BPM 3009
42 Sechman et al.: Effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid hormone levels in chick embryo
Table 1. Range of magnetic and electric components of electromagnetic field (EMF) in incubators
Magnetische und elektrische Kenndaten des elektromagnetischen Feldes (EMF) und deren Streuungen im Brutapparat
Control incubator
Item
(without additional EMF)
Magnetic field (nT) 69-650
Electric field (V/m) 35-264
#the magnetic component of EMF was relatively homogenous within cylindrical space of 0.3 m parallel to the symmetrical axis of the system;
it gradually decreased (by about 1000 nT) moving toward the coils.
(Bio-Physik Mersmann, Germany). The measurements
were performed at five points corresponding to the posi-
tion of the central egg and to the locations of the eggs in
the four corners of the incubating trays holding the eggs in-
side the control and experimental incubators. Results of
the particular components of EMF generated by electrical
equipment in the incubators (i.e. heaters, fan motor, resis-
tors etc.) and by additionally installed coils in the experi-
mental incubator were shown in Table 1. The data re-
vealed that the electric and magnetic components of EMF
induced by the electric equipment of both incubators did
not differ significantly.
The eggs were incubated at 37.8±0.1ºC with relative hu-
midity (RH) of 50-60% during the first 18 days of incuba-
tion. Subsequently, between 19 and 21 days of incubation
the temperature was 37.2±0.1ºC and RH 60-75%. To
achieve optimal developmental conditions, the eggs were
overturned automatically once per hour. In the experimen-
tal incubator, eggs were distributed on plastic trays of the
incubator in such way that the position of the eggs did not
leave the cylindrical space of the homogenous EMF during
their turning over. Embryos of the experimental group
were exposed to ELF-EMF from the first day of incubation
until the day of hatching.
Blood samples from control and experimental group
were collected by the cardiac puncture of developing em-
bryos on days 11 (E11), 14 (E14), 16 (E16), 18 (E18), 20
(E20; external pipping), and on the 21st day of incubation
immediately after hatching (H). They were centrifuged
7 min (2000 × g), subsequently plasma pools obtained
from two to three embryos (E11-E20) and individual plas-
ma samples from hatched chicks (H) were stored at -20°C
until hormone determinations.
In order to investigate the effect of ELF-EMF on the em-
bryo mortality and the course of hatching, the second set
of 80 eggs from each group was candled on 7th and 18th
day of incubation to eliminate unfertilised eggs and dead
embryos. Eggs that failed to hatch were broken and mor-
phologically analysed in order to distinguish infertile eggs
from eggs containing dead embryos. The results of the
hatch were presented in each group as a percent of positive
developed eggs, i.e. fertile eggs which undertook develop-
ment in the incubators. In order to characterize the course
of pipping and hatching, from 460 hours of incubation at
4-hour intervals the number of pipping eggs and hatched
chicks were counted (VISSCHEDIJK, 1968). The data ob-
tained were used to calculate the mean time of pipping and
hatching at control and experimental conditions.
Assay procedures and statistical analysis
Thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3)
and reverse-triiodothyronine (rT3) in blood plasma were
Experimental incubator
(equipped with three coils)
Without additional EMF With additional EMF
103-607 9100-10500#
40-252 42-238
determined radioimmunologically (RIA) according to the
method describe elsewhere (ABDEL-FATTAH et al., 1991;
SECHMAN et al., 2003). The assay was performed in tripli-
cates and in one analysis to avoid inter-assay variation.
Standard solutions of T4, T3 and rT3 were prepared in
chicken plasma free of endogenous thyroid hormones. The
antibodies applied in the RIA methods had no or very weak
cross reactivities with other iodothyronines. The lowest
limit of sensitivity for T4 and T3 was 1.3 and 0.08 ng/ml,
respectively, while for rT3 – 5.4 pg/ml. The intra-assay co-
efficient of variation for T4, T3 and rT3 was 5.4%, 6.0% and
3.8%, respectively.
The data obtained were analysed statistically by
two-way analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s multi-
ple range test. The results of hatch were analysed by the
Chi-square test, and the effect of ELF-EMF on the time of
pipping and hatching in the chicks was analysed by
Mann-Whitney’s rank sum test. The statistical analyses
were performed with the SigmaStat 2.03 computer pro-
gram (SPSS Inc., USA), and the figures were drawn using
Grapher 4.0 (Golden Software Inc., USA). Because the ra-
dioimmunoassay revealed that there were no significant
differences in plasma thyroid hormone levels between
male and female embryos (E11-E20) or at the day of hatch
(H), what is in agreement with previous findings of VAN
DER GEYTEN et al. (2002), the data from both sexes were
combined. They were presented as means ± S.E.M. and
considered significant at P<0.05 and highly significant at
P<0.01.
Results
During the examined period of chick embryogenesis (i.e.
from E11 to day of H) in the control group plasma T4 con-
centrations increased gradually from 0.30±0.07 on E11 to
the maximal value of 30.40±2.38 ng/ml on the day of
hatch (H). In the chick embryos exposed to ELF-EMF the
pattern of plasma T4 was similar; however, on E11, E14,
E16 and E18 the plasma levels of T4 were significantly
(P<0.01) by 2.95-, 2.21-, 5.67- and 1.79-fold higher than in
the control group, respectively. On the day of H, the level
of T4 in the experimental chicks was by 29 per cent lower
(P<0.01; Fig. 1a).
Plasma T3 concentrations were below 0.8 ng/ml until
E18; during this period they rose from 0.14±0.08 ng/ml on
E11 to 0.78±0.11 ng/ml on E18. Subsequently, T3 concen-
trations sharply increased reaching the maximum levels of
3.14±0.16 ng/ml at the day of H. In the embryos exposed
to ELF-EMF the T3 concentrations on E18, E20 and on the
day H were respectively by 2.17-, 3.09- and 1.39-fold high-
er in comparison to the corresponding values of the control
group (P<0.01; Fig.1b).
Arch.Geflügelk. 1/2006
 Sechman et al.: Effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid hormone levels in chick embryo 43
level of 236.2±20.1 pg/ml at the moment of pipping (E20),
(a) followed by a rapid decrease toward hatching (34.2±7.2
40
pg/ml). In the ELF-EMF exposed group the statistically
Contr ol
ELF-EMF g
(P<0.01) lower concentrations of rT3 (by 31.7%) were not-
ed only on E20 (Fig.1c).
30 The effect of ELF-EMF on the physical hatching parame-
f
ters, i.e. embryo mortality, and the timing of external pip-
ping (EP) and hatching is shown in Table 2 and 3, respec-
T4 [ng/ml]

20 tively. In comparison to control embryos, the statistically

ef
e
lower amount of dead embryos was noticed in the group of
eggs exposed to ELF-EMF (11.5% vs. 24.0% in control in-
10
cd cubation; P<0.05). Meanwhile, the percent of hatched
c chicks in the ELF-EMF group (88.5%) was significantly
b b
higher than the appropriate value of the control group
a
a a (76.0%) (Table 2). The pipping time in the group of chicks
0
exposed to extremely low frequency EMF was
E11 E14 E16 E18 E20 H
486.0±0.96 h, i.e. 5.4 h earlier than in the control group
(b) (P<0.01). The majority of eggs of the control group
5
f
hatched between 494 and 516 h reaching a peak at
504.3±1.09 h, whereas in the eggs exposed to ELF-EMF
ef duration of hatching was from 488 to 504 h of incubation
4
and the mean time of hatching was 497.1±0.82 h, i.e. 7.2 h
e
earlier than in control conditions (P<0.01; Table 3).
3
T3 [ng/ml]

d
Discussion
2
cd
The present study revealed that ELF-EMF, applied during
bc
1 b chicken incubation, affects the function of the thyroid
a ab b gland and elevates the level of thyroid hormones in blood
a
plasma.
0 a
The patterns of alterations in circulating concentration
E11 E14 E16 E18 E20 H of iodothyronines in chicken embryos observed during em-
bryogenesis in control as well as in experimental condi-
(c) tions are in agreement with data of the several earlier stu-
300
dies (THOMES and HYLKA, 1977; DECUYPERE et al., 1982;
f
THOMES 1987; SCANES et al., 1987; GREGORY et al., 1998;
250
REYNS et al., 2003). Namely, in both groups the lowest con-
centrations of T4 and T3 were found on the first day of
200 e
blood collection, i.e. on E11 of the chick embryogenesis,
rT3 [pg/ml]

de and the highest concentrations were noted on the day of

150
cd
100
bc
50
b.s.
a centrations of T3 in the chick embryo remained relatively
a
0 low (i.e. below 0.8 ng/ml) until E18 of the embryogenesis.
E11 E14 E16
Figure 1. Effect of the extremely low frequency electromagnet-
ic field (ELF-EMF) on plasma thyroxine (T4) (a), triiodothyronine
(T3) (b) and reverse-triiodothyronine (rT3) (c) levels in embryon-
ic chicks. Each value represents the mean ± SE from 5-7 deter-
minations; a-g – means marked with different letters differ
significantly (P<0.01).
Einfluss eines elektromagnetischen Feldes mit sehr geringer Frequenz
(ELF-EMF) auf die Plasmaspiegel von Thyroxin (T4) (a), Trijodthyronin
(T3) (b) and Reverse-Trijodthyronin (rT3) (c) bei Hühnerembryonen.
Die Werte entsprechend dem Mittelwert±SE von 5 bis 7 Bestim-
mungen. a-g: Mittelwerte gekennzeichnet mit unterschiedlichen
Buchstaben unterscheiden sich signifikant (P<0,01).
The level of rT3 on E11 was below sensitivity of applied
RIA method. The first measurable concentrations of
17.0±3.5 pg/ml were found on E14. In the control condi-
tion plasma rT3 levels increased sharply to the maximum
hatch (H) when the chicken embryo had already switched
from chorioallantoic to lung respiration (DECUYPERE et al.,
cd 1988; DARRAS et al., 1992). The plasma T4 concentrations
b were low until E16 of embryogenesis, and then they rose
exponentially toward the day of hatch. The circulating con-
b
E18 E20 H The sharp increase of T3 concentration was found at the
end of incubation when the chick begins air respiration.
The patterns of plasma T4 and T3 concentrations during
chick embryogenesis resemble both the function of the thy-
roid gland (ASTIER, 1980; MCNABB 2000) and the activity of
the hepatic and renal iodothyronine deiodinases (DARRAS
et al., 1992; GREGORY et al., 1998; DARRAS et al., 2000; VAN
DER GEYTEN et al., 1997, 2002; REYNS et al., 2003). The
gradual increase in rT3 concentration from the concentra-
tion being below sensitivity of the applied RIA method on
E11 toward the maximal level of 236.2±20.2 pg/ml plasma
on day E20 is probably a result of the high activity of deio-
dinase D3 in the liver (VAN DER GEYTEN et al., 1997; DARRAS
et al., 2000; VAN DER GEYTEN et al., 2002).
The most interesting finding of the current study was the
significant increase in plasma T4 and T3 levels in chicken
embryos following exposure to extremely low frequency
electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF). The significantly higher
level of T4 in blood plasma of embryos exposed to
ELF-EMF had been already found on day E11, and persist-
ed significantly higher until embryonic day E18. On the

Arch.Geflügelk. 1/2006
44 Sechman et al.: Effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid hormone levels in chick embryo
Table 2. Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the results of hatching (percent from the positive
developed eggs) in the chicks
Einfluss des elektromagnetischen Feldes mit sehr geringer Frequenz auf die Brutergebnisse (Prozent der normal entwickelten Eier) der
Küken

Control group ELF-EMF

Item
Number % Number %

Unfertilised eggs and germs dead before incubation 5 2

Dead embryos 18 24.0 9 11.5

Hatched chicks 57 76.0 69 88.5
Positively developed eggs# 75 100.0 78 100.0

#- fertilized eggs which undertook development in incubators;

Hatchability of chicks was significantly dependent on ELF-EMF at P<0.05 (the Chi-square test).

Table 3. Effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the time of external pipping and hatching in the
chicks
Einfluss des elektromagnetischen Feldes mit sehr geringer Frequenz auf den Zeitpunkt des Anpickens und des Schlupfes der Küken

Control group ELF-EMF

Item
(n=57) (n=69)

Mean ± SE 491.4 ± 1.35 486.0 ± 0.96

Time of external pipping (h)
Median 490 486**

Mean ± SE 504.3 ± 1.09 497.1 ± 0.82

Time of hatching (h)
Median 502 498**

** - P < 0.01 in comparison to control (Mann-Whitney rank sum test)

other hand, following hatching in the chicks of ELF-EMF
group level of T4 decreased sharply and was lower than in
control group. In the case of T3, significantly higher levels
were observed at the final stages of embryogenesis, i.e. on
E18, E20 and on the day of H. To our knowledge this is the
first report to show influence of extremely low frequency
EMF on the level of thyroid hormones in blood plasma of
chicken embryos. In mammals, previous investigations of
ELF-EMF effect on thyroid gland showed that rats exposed
to ELF-EMF fields demonstrated altered thyroid gland ac-
tivity (MATAVULJ et al., 1996). This alteration has been
shown to depend on the duration of exposure to ELF-EMF,
i.e. following 2 months of exposure the thyroid gland
shows increased activity while after 5 and 6 months of
ELF-EMF exposure thyroid activity decreased (MATAVULJ et
al., 1999). Recently, RAJKOVIC et al. (2003) have reported
that a 3-month exposure of rats to ELF-EMF (50 Hz,
50-500 µT) reduces the activity of the thyroid gland and ir-
reversibly decreases serum levels of T4 and T3. Contrary to
this, in our study we observed that exposure of the chicken
embryos to ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 10 µT) elevates levels of T4
and T3. A similar effect was reported by UDINTSEV et al.
(1978) who found increased levels of T4 and TSH in rats
exposed to 50 Hz EMF of 20 mT for 18 h. It seems likely
that the increase in the levels of thyroid hormones in
blood plasma of chick embryos following ELF-EMF radia-
tion was evoked by alteration in thyrocytes activity simi-
larly to that observed in ELF-EMF exposed rats (RAJKOVIC
et al., 2003). However, it cannot be excluded that the stim-
ulatory effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid function may be asso-
ciated with changes in the activity of hypothalamo-pitui-
tary system. It is well known that under normal physiolog-
ical conditions, TSH stimulates follicular epithelial cells to
synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones (KÜHN et al.,
1988; GREGORY et al., 1998; MCNABB, 2000). Therefore, the
observed increase in circulatory T4 and T3 concentrations
might be connected with some stimulatory changes at the
hypothalamo-hypophyseal level of the thyroidal axis. Pos-
sible alterations in activity of the deiodinases (D1 and D3)
in the liver and the other peripheral tissues involved in T3
production should also be taken into consideration. Fur-
ther studies are needed to explain the endocrine changes
following ELF-EMF exposure (1) at the hypothalamo-hy-
pophyseal level, (2) in thyrocytes of the thyroid gland, and
(3) in the activity of the peripheral iodothyronine deiodi-
nases (D1 and D3).
It is interesting that the increase in T4 and T3 concentra-
tions in the experimental group was accompanied by sig-
nificantly lower embryo mortality and elevated hatchabili-
ty (by 12.5%) in comparison to control chicks (Table 2).
Moreover, the chick embryos exposed to ELF-EMF signifi-
cantly accelerated their external pipping and hatching
(Table 3). These results were surprising since several em-
bryotoxic and teratogenic effects of EMF have been well
documented in chicken embryo (DELGADO et al., 1982; JUU-
TILAINEN et al., 1987; BERMAN et al., 1990; UBEDA et al., 1994;
FARRELL et al., 1997; VETERANY et al., 2001). There is still a
difference of opinion as to the effect of ELF-EMF on the
chicken embryo mortality since findings of other investiga-
tors did not succeed in showing the embryotoxic effects of
ELF-EMF on chicken development (MAFEO et al., 1988;
KOCH and KOCH, 1991; MARTIN, 1992). Some investigators
claim that the developmental response of the embryo de-
pends on the shape and intensity of the magnetic field

Arch.Geflügelk. 1/2006
 Sechman et al.: Effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid hormone levels in chick embryo
(BERMAN et al., 1990; PAFKOVA et al., 1994; UBEDA et al.,
1994). Our recent investigations with different intensity of
applied ELF-EMF (5, 10 and 15 µT) support this hypothesis
(LIS and NIEDZIÓLKA, 2004). Moreover, as in the present
study, in all groups of chicken embryos subjected to the
magnetic fields of the different parameters, acceleration of
the growth of embryos was found, manifesting itself in the
earlier onset of pipping and hatching process (LIS and
NIEDZIÓLKA, 2004). FARRELL et al. (1997) suggested that ear-
lier hatching of chickens exposed to ELF-EMF can result
from a genetically conditioned, higher sensitivity to mag-
netic field. This hypothesis is supported by the recent in-
vestigations that revealed significant differences in the de-
gree of embryo growth stimulation in magnetic field de-
pending on the origin of eggs from different flocks of
breeder layers (DI-CARLO and LITOVITZ, 1999). It cannot be
ruled out that the increase in T4 and T3 concentrations in
chick embryos subjected to ELF-EMF may be a major factor
in the acceleration of pipping and hatching time. It is well
known that thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in the
chicken embryonic development, and reduction of physio-
logical levels of thyroid hormones impairs the growth and
development of the chicken embryo (SCANES et al., 1987;
HARGIS et al., 1991). For instance, it has been found that
methimazole, a potent inhibitor of thyroid hormone syn-
thesis, injected in ovo inhibits growth of the chick, and this
effect can be reversed by treatment with T4 (KING and MAY,
1984). Moreover, the lower T4 and T3 levels were found in
newly hatched chicks that hatched 8 to 10 h later than the
first hatchlings (IQBAL et al., 1989). The importance of thy-
roid hormones was also established during pipping of the
egg shell and it has been found that the increase in thyroid
hormones levels during last phase of embryonic develop-
ment is necessary for hatching (DECUYPERE et al., 1988;
NIEDZIÓLKA et al., 1994). Therefore, it seems likely that ele-
vation in thyroid hormones following ELF-EMF by stimula-
tion of chicken embryo metabolism and growth leads to ac-
celeration of the pipping and hatching processes.
In conclusion, the results obtained show that the contin-
uous exposition of chicken embryos to ELF-EMF (50 Hz
and 10 µT) increases the plasma thyroid hormone levels,
and lowers embryo mortality and advances the time of
their pipping and hatching. Further investigations are
needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which extremely
low frequency electromagnetic field affects the function of
the thyroid gland and the peripheral metabolism of thyroid
hormones in chicken embryos.
Acknowledgments
We greatly appreciate helpful suggestions provided by Dr.
Piotr Janas and Dr. Pawel Turkowski, Division of Physics,
Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agri-
culture, Cracow, Poland. We also thank Professor Jerzy Ko-
sowicz (University of Medicial Sciences, Poznan, Poland)
for generously supplying the anti-rT3 serum. Studies sup-
ported by grants: DS-3243/KFZ/03 and DS-3210/ZHZ-
iSH/03.
Summary
Incubating eggs produced by a parental flock of ISA 215
broiler breeders were used to determine the effect of ex-
tremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF)
on blood plasma levels of thyroid hormones: thyroxine
(T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and reverse-triiodothyronine
(rT3), and hatching parameters, i.e. chick mortality, time
Arch.Geflügelk. 1/2006
45
of pipping and hatching. Eggs were exposed to 50 Hz, 10
µT ELF-EMF from the onset of incubation to the day of
hatch. Magnetic field in the experimental incubator was
generated by a set of three parallel coils. Blood samples
were collected for determination of T4, T3 and rT3 concen-
trations on days 11 (E11), 14 (E14), 16 (E16), 18 (E18) and
20 (E20; external pipping) and on the day of hatch (H). In
embryos exposed to ELF-EMF a significant increase in T4
levels between E11 (by 195%) and E18 (by 79%) and T3
levels between E18 (by 117%) and the day of H (by 39%)
were observed. In the case of rT3 a significant decrease by
32% was found only on E20 of embryonic development.
The elevation of T4 and T3 levels in blood plasma of embry-
os exposed to ELF-EMF was accompanied by a decrease in
the embryos’ mortality and acceleration of external pip-
ping and hatching. Results of this study demonstrate that
ELF-EMF stimulates the activity of the thyroid gland, af-
fects the peripheral iodothyronine metabolism and influ-
ences the hatching parameters.
Key words
Thyroid hormone, electromagnetic field, chicken, embryo-
genesis
Zusammenfassung
Einfluss von elektromagnetischen Feldern mit sehr
geringer Frequenz auf den Spiegel der Schilddrüsen-
hormone bei Hühnerembryonen
Das Ziel des Versuches war die Untersuchung des Einflus-
ses von elektromagnetischen Feldern mit sehr niedrigen
Frequenzen (ELF-EMF) auf die Plasmaspiegel der Schild-
drüsenhormone Thyroxin (T4), Trijodthyronin (T3) und
Revers-Trijodthyronin (rT3) sowie auf die Brutparameter
Embryonalsterblichkeit, Zeitpunkt des Anpickens und des
Schlupfes. Für den Versuch wurden Hühnereier der Broi-
ler-Elterntierherde ISA 215 verwendet. Die Versuchseier
wurden in zwei gleich große Gruppen eingeteilt. Die Eier
der Kontrollgruppe wurden unter Standardbedingungen
bebrütet, während die Eier der Versuchsgruppe vom ersten
bis zum letzten Tag der Brut einem EM-Feld (10 µT) mit ei-
ner Frequenz von 50Hz ausgesetzt wurden. Die zur Be-
stimmung der Schilddrüsenhormone (T4, T3, rT3) notwen-
digen Blutproben wurden am 11. (E11), 14. (E14), 16.
(E16), 18. (E18) und 20. (E20; Anpicken der Eier) Bruttag
sowie am Schlupftag (H) entnommen.
Im Blutserum der unter dem ELF-EMF erbrüteten Em-
bryonen wurden signifikant höhere T4-Spiegel zwischen
E11 (um 195%) und E18 (um 79%) sowie höhere T3-Spie-
gel zwischen E18 (um 117%) und dem Schlupftag (um
39%) gegenüber der Kontrollgruppe festgestellt. Am 20.
Bruttag war der rT3-Spiegel gegenüber der Kontrollgruppe
um 32% signifikant vermindert. Die Erhöhung der T4- und
T3-Konzentrationen im Blut war begleitet mit einer gerin-
geren Embryonensterblichkeit und einem früheren Beginn
des Anpickens sowie des Schlupfes. Die Ergebnisse der Un-
tersuchung deuten darauf hin, dass das ELF-EMF die Akti-
vität der Schilddrüse stimuliert, den peripheren Jod-Thy-
ronin-Stoffwechsel und die Brutparameter beeinflusst.
Stichworte
Thyroidhormone, elektromagnetisches Feld, Küken, Em-
bryonensterblichkeit
46 Sechman et al.: Effect of ELF-EMF on thyroid hormone levels in chick embryo
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Correspondence: Dr. hab. Andrzej Sechman, Department of Animal Physiolo-
gy, Agricultural University of Cracow, Al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Cracow,
Poland; e-mail: rzsechma@cyf-kr.edu.pl