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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Cellular Effects

Acute radio frequency irradiation does not affect cell cycle, cellular migration, and invasion.

No Effects Found

Lee JJ, Kwak HJ, Lee YM, Lee JW, Park MJ, Ko YG, Choi HD, Kim N, Pack JK, Hong SI, Lee JS. · 2008

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Short-term RF exposure up to 10 W/kg showed no immediate effects on cell division or movement in this laboratory study.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed mouse cells to cell phone-level radiofrequency radiation (849 MHz) at power levels of 2 or 10 watts per kilogram for up to three days and measured whether this affected cell division, movement, or invasion capabilities. They found no statistically significant changes in any of these cellular functions compared to unexposed cells. This suggests that short-term RF exposure at these power levels does not disrupt basic cellular processes related to growth and migration.

Why This Matters

This study provides reassuring evidence that acute RF exposure at levels comparable to cell phone use doesn't immediately disrupt fundamental cellular processes. The researchers tested SAR levels of 2 and 10 W/kg - the higher level being five times the current safety limit of 2 W/kg for mobile devices. What makes this research particularly credible is the inclusion of ionizing radiation as a positive control, which did produce the expected cellular changes, confirming their experimental methods were sound. However, this study only examined short-term effects over hours to days, not the chronic, low-level exposures that characterize real-world cell phone use over years or decades. The reality is that cancer development and other health effects often take much longer to manifest than the timeframes studied here.

Exposure Details

SAR
2 or 10 W/kg
Source/Device
849 MHz
Exposure Duration
1 h, or for 1 h per day for 3 days

Exposure Context

This study used 2 or 10 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 2 or 10 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 1 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 849 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 849 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Acute radio frequency irradiation does not affect cell cycle, cellular migration, and invasion.

This study was conducted to determine whether RF radiation exposure exerts detectable effects on cel...

We detected no statistically significant differences between the sham-exposed and RF radiation-expos...

Our results show that 849 MHz RF radiation exposure exerts no detectable effects on cell cycle distribution, cellular migration, or invasion at average SAR values of 2 or 10 W/kg.

Cite This Study
Lee JJ, Kwak HJ, Lee YM, Lee JW, Park MJ, Ko YG, Choi HD, Kim N, Pack JK, Hong SI, Lee JS. (2008). Acute radio frequency irradiation does not affect cell cycle, cellular migration, and invasion. Bioelectromagnetics. 29(8):615-625, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{jj_2008_acute_radio_frequency_irradiation_3187,
  author = {Lee JJ and Kwak HJ and Lee YM and Lee JW and Park MJ and Ko YG and Choi HD and Kim N and Pack JK and Hong SI and Lee JS.},
  title = {Acute radio frequency irradiation does not affect cell cycle, cellular migration, and invasion.},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18512696/},
}
PubMed: 18512696

Cited By (11 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2008 study found that 849 MHz radiofrequency radiation at 2-10 watts per kilogram had no significant effects on cell division cycles in mouse cells, even after three days of exposure. The researchers detected no statistically significant differences compared to unexposed control cells.
Research using 849 MHz radiation found no increased cellular invasion or migration capabilities in exposed cells. Mouse cells showed no significant changes in motility or invasiveness compared to unexposed cells, suggesting this frequency doesn't enhance cancer cell spreading behavior.
A controlled study exposing mouse cells to 10 watts per kilogram SAR from 849 MHz radiation found no detectable effects on basic cellular processes including division, migration, or invasion after up to three days of continuous exposure.
Researchers exposed mouse cells to 849 MHz radiation for up to three days and found no changes in cell cycle distribution, migration, or invasion capabilities. This suggests short-term RF exposure at cell phone levels doesn't disrupt cellular behavior.
Matrigel invasion assays revealed no significant changes in cellular invasiveness when mouse cells were exposed to 849 MHz radiofrequency radiation at 2 or 10 watts per kilogram. The RF-exposed groups showed no alterations compared to sham-exposed control groups.