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Reproductive & Development
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Polystyrene microplastics internalization by term placental chorionic villi explants
Placenta2025
2 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 58
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Ashelley Sousa,
Isadora Cavalcante,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Ashelley Sousa,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Ashelley Sousa,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Ashelley Sousa,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Ashelley Sousa,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Ashelley Sousa,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Men‐Jean Lee,
Men‐Jean Lee,
Jacob Garcia,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Men‐Jean Lee,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Jacob Garcia,
Isadora Cavalcante,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Ashelley Sousa,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Johann Urschitz,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Ashelley Sousa,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Johann Urschitz,
Isadora Cavalcante,
Isadora Cavalcante,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Johann Urschitz,
Ashelley Sousa,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Ashelley Sousa,
Johann Urschitz,
Ashelley Sousa,
Ashelley Sousa,
Keyla Silva Nobre Pires,
Samuel T. Souza,
Jacob Garcia,
Jacob Garcia,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Iasmin Cristina Lira Cavalcante,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Samuel T. Souza,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Johann Urschitz,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Johann Urschitz,
Samuel T. Souza,
Samuel T. Souza,
Samuel T. Souza,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Jacob Garcia,
Men‐Jean Lee,
Johann Urschitz,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Johann Urschitz,
Samuel T. Souza,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Johann Urschitz,
E. J. S. Fonseca,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Johann Urschitz,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Johann Urschitz,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Johann Urschitz,
Stephanie Ospina‐Prieto,
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Alexandre Urban Borbely
Summary
Researchers exposed human placental tissue samples to polystyrene microplastics in the laboratory and found that the particles could cross the placental barrier and distribute within the tissue. Using advanced microscopy techniques, they observed microplastics penetrating the outer layer of placental villi and reaching deeper tissue structures within 72 hours. The findings raise concerns about potential fetal exposure to microplastics during pregnancy.
INTRODUCTION: Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants increasingly found within human tissues, including the placenta. This study explores the potential of polystyrene (PS)-MPs to cross the placental barrier and their general distribution within term placental chorionic villi explants.
METHODS: Term placental chorionic villi explants were exposed up to 72 h to 100 μg/mL of 5 μm-size polystyrene (PS)-MPs, and their internalization was analyzed by optical microscopy, confocal atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and fluorescence confocal imaging.
RESULTS: The PS-MPs can traverse the placental barrier. Over 72 h of exposure, these particles were not only adsorbed on the surface but also internalized within the syncytiotrophoblast and dispersed through the chorionic villi mesenchyme. Our observations indicate that PS-MPs are found up to 120 μm deep within the villi, suggesting their capability to penetrate deeply into placental tissue. Furthermore, these MPs were surrounded by a thin layer of actin, implying active internalization mechanisms possibly involving macropinocytosis or phagocytosis, although specific pathways in placental tissues remain to be fully elucidated. No evidence of barrier fissures or membrane ruptures was observed, indicating that the internalization process does not disrupt the syncytiotrophoblast barrier integrity.
DISCUSSION: This study underscores the urgent need to understand the implications of such internalization and their effects on placental homeostasis. Given the potential for MPs to influence developmental processes adversely, further research is essential to delineate the mechanisms of MP internalization, possible physiological impacts, and the consequences of fetal exposure.