Effect of pulsed high frequency electromagnetic radiation on embryonic mouse palate in vitro.

Palatal shelves from 14-day-old embryonic mice were exposed to a 27.12 MHz pulsed non-ionizing radiofrequency (Diapulse) for 20 min followed by 24-hour organ culture in nutrient agar. Diapulse-treated palatal shelves showed induction of cartilage within the mesenchymal compartment and loss of the overlying epithelium in contrast to controls which were free of cartilage. The results are thought to be independent of thermal changes and may be due to calcium flux within the tissue.