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MRI-based microplastic tracking in vivo and targeted toxicity analysis
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Researchers developed a new MRI-based method to track microplastics inside living mice over 21 days. They found that the liver was the primary organ where polystyrene microplastics accumulated, and this accumulation led to liver cell death, inflammation, and changes in enzyme levels. This tracking technique could help scientists better understand how microplastics move through and affect biological systems.
Microplastics (MPs) as an emerging pollutant have raised significant concerns in environmental health. However, elucidating the distribution of MPs in living organisms remains challenging due to their trace residue and tough detection problems. In this study, a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based tracking method was employed to monitor functionalized MPs biodistribution in vivo. Our results identified that the liver is the primary accumulation site of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in biological systems through continuous in vivo monitoring spanning 21 days. Biochemical tests were performed to assess the toxicological effects of functionalized MPs on the liver tissue, revealing hepatocyte death, inflammatory cell infiltration, and alterations in alkaline phosphatase levels. Notably, positively charged MPs exhibited more severe effects. A combined metabolomics-proteomics analysis further revealed that PS-MPs interfered with hepatic metabolic pathways, particularly bile secretion and ABC transporters. Overall, this study effectively assessed the distribution of functionalized MPs in vivo utilizing MRI technology, validated toxicity in targeted organ, and conducted an in-depth study on underlying biotoxicity mechanism. These findings offer crucial scientific insights into the potential impact of MPs in the actual environment on human health.
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Researchers developed a magnetic resonance imaging strategy to quantify nanoplastics internalized by mouse macrophage cells, providing a novel non-invasive approach for tracking nanoplastic uptake and distribution within living organisms.
Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure
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Researchers fed mice polystyrene microplastics of two sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body, finding them in the liver, kidneys, and gut with distribution patterns depending on particle size. Biochemical analysis revealed that microplastic exposure disrupted energy and fat metabolism, caused oxidative stress, and altered markers of neurotoxicity in the blood. The study provides evidence that microplastics can accumulate in mammalian tissues and may pose widespread health risks.
Covalently labeled fluorescence-MRI dual-modal polystyrene microspheres for imaging and analysis of microplastics in biological systems.
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Scientists have created a new type of tiny plastic particle that glows under fluorescent light and shows up on MRI scans, allowing researchers to track exactly where microplastics travel in the body. In tests with zebrafish and mice, these specially labeled particles stayed stable and trackable without leaking harmful dye or metal, giving scientists a reliable new tool to study how microplastics move through living tissue and what health risks they might pose. This isn't a finding about microplastics' dangers directly—it's a new tracking method that will help future research answer that question more precisely.
In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Microplastics and Systemic Metabolomic Alterations After Gastrointestinal Exposure
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Researchers fed mice a mixture of common microplastics and then tracked where the particles ended up in the body and how they affected metabolism. They found that ingested microplastics crossed the gut barrier and accumulated in the liver, kidneys, and other tissues, causing measurable changes in metabolic pathways. The study provides evidence that microplastic exposure through the digestive system can lead to widespread tissue distribution and systemic metabolic disruption in mammals.
Revealing transport, uptake and damage of polystyrene microplastics using a gut-liver-on-a-chip
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Using an advanced gut-liver organ-on-a-chip system that mimics human digestion, researchers tracked how polystyrene microplastics travel from the intestine to the liver. The microplastics crossed the intestinal barrier, accumulated in liver tissue, and caused dose-dependent damage to liver cells. This human-relevant model provides strong evidence that microplastics ingested through food and water can reach and harm the liver.
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