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Ex Vivo Cultivation Of Primary Intestinal Cells From Eisenia Fetida As Basis For Ecotoxicological Studies
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Researchers developed a method to grow intestinal cells from earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in laboratory culture for toxicity testing. Earthworms are important soil organisms affected by microplastic contamination in soil, and cell-based models could improve understanding of how microplastics damage gut tissue.
Abstract The earthworm Eisenia fetida is a commonly used model organism for unspecific soil feeders in ecotoxicological studies. Its intestinal cells are the first to encounter possible pollutants co-ingested by the earthworm, which makes them prime candidates for studies of toxic effects of environmental pollutants on the cellular as compared to the organismic level. Here, cells are isolated directly from the intestine, maintaining > 90% viability during subsequent short-time cultivations (up to 144 h). Exposure to established toxins comprising silver nanoparticles and metal ions (Cu2+, Cd2+) induced a significant decrease in the metabolic activity of the cells. In presence of microplastic particles (MP particles), namely 0.2, 0.5, 2.0, and 3.0 µm diameter polystyrene (PS) beads as well as 0.5 and 2.0 µm diameter polylactic acid (PLA) beads, no active uptake and no effect on the metabolic activity of the cells was observed. This suggests a tissue rather than cell related basis for the previously observed ecotoxicological effects of MP in case of Eisenia fetida.
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This Turkish study examined the effects of microplastics on growth parameters of the earthworm Eisenia fetida in laboratory conditions. Researchers found that microplastic exposure affected earthworm growth rates, raising concerns about soil ecosystem health given earthworms' critical role in soil function.
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Researchers exposed earthworms to polyethylene microplastics in soil and examined the effects on their tissues and gene expression. They found that microplastic exposure caused visible damage to the earthworms' gut lining and skin, and altered the activity of genes involved in stress response and immune function. The study provides some of the first evidence that microplastics can harm soil organisms at both the tissue and molecular level.
Multiple perspectives reveal the gut toxicity of polystyrene microplastics on Eisenia fetida: Insights into community signatures of gut bacteria and their translocation
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Researchers studied the gut toxicity of polystyrene microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia fetida, examining gut barrier dysfunction, bacterial translocation, and pathogen invasion. The study found that microplastic exposure caused gut barrier damage, including injury to epithelial cells and reduced expression of tight junction genes. Evidence indicates that microplastics can disrupt earthworm gut integrity and alter gut bacterial communities, potentially facilitating pathogen entry.
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Researchers exposed earthworms to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics in soil for 14 days and found evidence of intestinal cell damage, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. The larger particles accumulated more in earthworm intestines, while both sizes triggered changes in key antioxidant markers. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination in soil can cause measurable biological harm to important soil organisms.
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