Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40713855›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025

Pulsed electromagnetic stimulation promotes neuronal maturation by up-regulating cholesterol biosynthesis.

Ping Chen, Jingyi Li, Vsevolod Telezhkin, Yu Gu, Min Tao, Liping Guo, Simin Song, Rihe Dong, Xianyang Luo, Yan Wang and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Ping Chen *Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Jingyi Li *Translational Medical Research and Development Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Vsevolod Telezhkin *School of Dental Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4BW, UK.
Yu GuFaculty of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Min TaoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Liping GuoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Simin SongShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Rihe DongShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Xianyang LuoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Yan WangTranslational Medical Research and Development Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Qian LiuTranslational Medical Research and Development Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Weiming TianSchool of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin, Harbin, China.
Weihua MengNottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China. weihua.meng@nottingham.edu.cn.
Wei HongShenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China. wei.hong@siat.ac.cn.
Bing SongFaculty of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China. bing.song@siat.ac.cn.

Funding

International Cooperation Project of Ningbo City 2023H025Key Technologies Research and Development Program 2024YFF206402National Natural Science Foundation of China 32100800National Natural Science Foundation of China 32471010National Natural Science Foundation of China T2350710233Pioneer and Leading Goose R&D Program of Zhejiang Province 2023C04049Shenzhen Science and Technology Program JCYJ20220818100802005Shenzhen Science and Technology Program JCYJ20220818101404009Shenzhen Science and Technology Program KQTD20210811090117032the Chinese Academy of Sciences President's International Fellowship Initiative 2022VBB0002the Guangdong Science and Technology Program 2021QN02Y925the Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuroimmunomodulation for Neurological Diseases ZDSYS20220304163558001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStem cell therapies have emerged as transformative therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders. However, neurons derived from transplanted stem cells often exhibit low survival rates and remain in an immature state. While pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) may enhance neuronal differentiation, the extent of this effect and its molecular mechanisms remain poorly characterized.

methodHuman induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) induced cortical neurons received daily PEMF stimulation (1 mT, 15 Hz, 3.75 ms pulse duration) for 7 days during differentiation. Neuronal differentiation and synaptic maturation were assessed using immunocytochemistry, qPCR, western blotting, and live-cell imaging to evaluate neurite outgrowth. Functional maturation was analyzed through calcium imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology. Transcriptomic profiling identified key pathways involved in PEMF-modulated neuronal maturation, with the role of FDFT1-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis mechanistically validated through pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockdown.

resultPEMF accelerated early-stage neuronal differentiation without altering neurite outgrowth and enhanced synaptic maturation after sustained stimulation. PEMF-treated neurons displayed heightened spontaneous calcium signaling and improved functional maturation, including enhanced excitability, action potential kinetics, and voltage-gated ion channel activity. Transcriptomics revealed significant upregulation of cholesterol biosynthesis pathways, with FDFT1 (squalene synthase) as a central regulator. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic knockdown of FDFT1 abolished PEMF-induced neuronal differentiation and synaptic maturation.

conclusionPEMF accelerates early-stage differentiation of human cortical neurons and enhances synaptic maturation following sustained stimulation. These effects are mechanistically linked to the activation of FDFT1-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis. This non-invasive PEMF stimulation approach represents a promising strategy to optimize stem cell-based therapies for neurological disorders.

Indexed as

CholesterolElectromagnetic FieldsInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsNeuronsCell DifferentiationHumansNeurogenesisUp-RegulationCholesterolCholesterol biosynthesisInduced pluripotent stem cellsNeuronal differentiationPulsed electromagnetic fieldsSynaptic marker

Identifiers

PMID40713855
PMCPMC12297729

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.