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Experimental methods for assessing biological effects of microplastics on mouse models: trends, gaps, and future directions
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This review critically examined how mouse studies from 2021 to 2025 have been designed to evaluate microplastic toxicity, focusing on sex of animals used, exposure methods, particle characterization, dosing, and duration. Researchers found significant inconsistencies across studies, including limited sex-specific analyses and the use of unrealistic exposure conditions that reduce the relevance of findings to human health. The study recommends standardized protocols to improve the reliability and comparability of future microplastic toxicology research.
Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as pervasive environmental contaminants with the potential to induce adverse biological effects. Mouse models are widely used to evaluate MP toxicity, yet their translational value remains limited by methodological inconsistencies. This review critically examines studies from 2021-2025, focusing on five key parameters: sex, exposure route, particle characterization, concentration, and exposure duration. Sex-specific analyses are limited, restricting insight into differential susceptibility. Although oral exposure best reflects human intake, nonoral routes remain prevalent and may distort risk estimates. Particle properties-size, shape, polymer type, and form-are often inconsistently described and frequently unrepresentative of environmental MPs, complicating cross-study comparisons and mechanistic interpretations. We highlight the importance of using environmentally relevant concentrations and chronic exposure durations to more accurately simulate real-world conditions. Despite growing efforts, inconsistencies in particle metrics and dose reporting formats continue to hinder data integration. To improve ecological and translational relevance, future MP toxicity studies should adopt standardized protocols, incorporate sex-balanced designs, and prioritize parameters that reflect actual human exposure scenarios.
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This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect the health of both aquatic organisms and lab animals like mice and rats. The animal studies suggest that microplastics could have a significant negative impact on human health, but the results are still mixed because experiments vary widely in plastic type, particle size, and dosage. More standardized research is needed before we can draw firm conclusions about the risks to people.
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