Increased mobility and stem-cell proliferation rate in Dugesia tigrina induced by 880nm light emitting diode

The therapeutic effects elicited by photobiostimulation in the near infrared range may be associated with increased proliferation rate of particular cell-types. The present study utilized commercial light emitting diodes to investigate the effects of low-level near-infrared radiation on the proliferation rate of stem cells in amputated planarian. Whole and amputated animals were exposed to either ambient diurnal lighting, darkness, white light, red light, or near-infrared (880 nm) light. Irradiation was consistent for the duration of the experiments and was provided using commercial 5mm light emitting diodes (∼1.0 mW/m(2) in power density and ∼0.01 J/cm(2) in radiant exposure). Compared to other groups amputated planarian exposed to near-infrared displayed increased mobility by the 3rd day of exposure (F((4,26))=4.31, p