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Nanomechanical Atomic Force Microscopy to Probe Cellular Microplastics Uptake and Distribution
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Researchers used atomic force microscopy in a specialized nanomechanical mode to visualize how human skin cells take up and distribute polystyrene microplastics. They were able to distinguish between particles attached to the cell surface and those internalized within the cell, detecting particles as small as 500 nanometers. The study demonstrates a powerful new technique for studying how plastic particles interact with human cells at the nanoscale.
The concerns regarding microplastics and nanoplastics pollution stimulate studies on the uptake and biodistribution of these emerging pollutants in vitro. Atomic force microscopy in nanomechanical PeakForce Tapping mode was used here to visualise the uptake and distribution of polystyrene spherical microplastics in human skin fibroblast. Particles down to 500 nm were imaged in whole fixed cells, the nanomechanical characterization allowed for differentiation between internalized and surface attached plastics. This study opens new avenues in microplastics toxicity research.
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Force Spectroscopy by Atomic Force Microscopy as Indicator for Cellular Microplastic Uptake
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Researchers tested whether atomic force microscopy measurements of cellular stiffness could serve as a proxy for microplastic uptake, finding that Young's modulus changes in cancer cell spheroids correlated with fluorescence-confirmed particle ingestion, suggesting biomechanical readouts as a novel detection indicator.
Probing Friction and Adhesion of Individual Nanoplastic Particles
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Using atomic force microscopy, researchers directly measured the friction and adhesion properties of individual nanoplastic particles on surfaces. These physical measurements provide insights into how nanoplastics interact with biological surfaces, which is relevant to understanding how they penetrate cells and tissues.
Label-Free Quantification of Nanoplastic–Cell Membrane Interaction by Single Cell Deformation Plasmonic Imaging
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Researchers used single-cell atomic force microscopy to directly measure the forces with which nanoplastics interact with cell membranes in living cells, providing label-free quantification of nanoplastic binding strength and membrane disruption at the individual cell level.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) nanomechanical characterization of micro- and nanoplastics to support environmental investigations in groundwater
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Researchers developed a new microscopy-based method using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to detect and characterize micro- and nanoplastics as small as a few nanometers, finding that microplastics collected from groundwater were rougher and more aggregated than lab-aged particles — meaning they likely carry more adsorbed pollutants into drinking water sources.
Quantifying nanoplastic cellular interactions and uptake pathways by label-free plasmonic imaging
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Scientists used a special microscope technique to watch, in real time, exactly how tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) get into human cells — finding that the vast majority (over 85%) are actively pulled inside by the cell itself, rather than just passively slipping in or sticking to the surface. This matters because understanding *how* nanoplastics enter our cells is a critical first step toward figuring out whether — and how — they might cause harm, especially as these particles are increasingly found in our food, water, and even bodies.
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