We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions
Summary
This study found that microplastic particles described by the same nominal characteristics such as size and polymer type can differ greatly in their cellular uptake and biological interactions depending on manufacturer and preparation method. These differences in particle-cell interactions underscore the difficulty of comparing results across studies using nominally identical plastic models.
Microplastics are an abundant contaminant in all environmental compartments. Due to this ubiquity, organisms frequently interact with these microscopically small plastic particles, which raised concerns about their potentially hazardous effects. In this context, a special focus was set on the cellular interactions of microplastics, as these are a prerequisite for further translocation of the microplastics into tissues. Many studies investigating such cellular interactions and effects of microplastics rely on commercially available polystyrene microspheres. However, even nominally identical model microplastics differ in their physicochemical properties such as the surface charge. This may affect the outcome of studies on the potential hazards of microplastics because their interactions with cells may be altered due to the different surface properties. Here, we show that the physicochemical properties of nominally identical model microplastics from eight different manufacturers were significantly different. Especially the zeta-potential, which characterizes the electrical potential of a particle in a medium, differed by more than one magnitude. We observed that the zeta-potential of the microplastics is additionally altered after environmental exposure and eco-corona formation on their surface. We developed a microfluidic microscopy platform to investigate the binding kinetics and adhesive forces of microplastics to cells in a highly multiplexed single-cell single-particle approach. Our experiments showed that the adhesion strength of microplastics to cells strongly differed between particles from different manufacturers and was determined by their zeta-potential. Using confocal fluorescence microscopy, we showed that the zeta-potential further governed the internalization of microplastics into cells due to the particle-cell adhesion. Therefore, the zeta-potential of microplastics can act as a proxy for microplastic-cell interactions, potentially governing the adverse effects reported in various organisms exposed to microplastics. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559582/document
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions
This study demonstrated that microplastic particles described by the same nominal properties can differ greatly in how they interact with cells depending on their actual preparation and source, with nominally identical models showing divergent cellular uptake and toxicity. The findings highlight a major reproducibility challenge in microplastic research and the need for thorough particle characterization beyond simple descriptor labels.
Supposedly identical microplastic particles substantially differ in their material properties influencing particle-cell interactions and cellular responses
Researchers characterized two commercially available polystyrene microplastic particles that are nominally identical and commonly used in toxicity studies. They found substantial differences in monomer content, surface charge, and how the particles interacted with cells, leading to different effects on cell metabolism and proliferation. The study emphasizes that poorly characterized microplastic test particles can produce contradictory results, complicating efforts to draw general conclusions about microplastic effects.
Data and code for "Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions"
Researchers provide the data and code supporting the study on particle-cell interactions of nominally identical microplastic models, enabling reproducible analysis of how different commercial microplastic preparations produce divergent biological effects at the cellular level.
Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions
Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastic beads from eight different manufacturers -- despite being labeled as identical -- had significantly different surface electrical charges, which dramatically changed how the particles stuck to and were absorbed by cells. This means that many microplastic toxicity studies may not be directly comparable, and surface charge should be measured and reported to make research on microplastic health effects more reliable.
Environmental Microplastic Particles vs. Engineered Plastic Microparticles—A Comparative Review
This review compared environmental microplastic particles with engineered plastic microparticles used in laboratory studies, revealing significant discrepancies in size, shape, and polymer type that may limit the ecological relevance of current exposure research.