AbstractWe previously showed that quasirectangular, asymmetrical, pulsed electromagnetic (EM) fields of low frequency can induce increased transcription in Sciara salivary gland cells. A symmetrical sine wave with the same frequency as known biologically effective asymmetric signals was studied in the present investigations. The results demonstrated that signal shape was not a major factor in causing augmented transcription. The pattern of grain density in transcription autoradiograms, as well as the size classes of RNA responsive to EM fields, was the same irrespective of asymmetry or symmetry of the signal. Following short‐term exposure of the cells to either type of EM field, S values of new transcripts were consistent with those expected for processed and unprocessed messenger RN