We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A Physiological Microfluidic Blood–Brain‐Barrier Model for In Vitro Study of Nanoparticle Trafficking and Accumulation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a microfluidic blood-brain barrier model using human endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes to compare nanoparticle transport, finding that extracellular vesicles crossed most efficiently and that ligand presentation and membrane composition — not size or stiffness — were the primary determinants of barrier penetration.
ABSTRACT Although the blood–brain barrier (BBB) restricts passage of most molecules, various naturally occurring and synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) are nonetheless found within the brain parenchyma. To study the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, we developed a microfluidic BBB model (mBBB) using human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) in direct contact with primary human astrocytes and pericytes within a physiologically relevant extracellular matrix. The horizontal architecture enables high‐resolution imaging across the full barrier interface and allows direct assessment of nanoparticle transport and accumulation. This in vitro platform recapitulates key features of the BBB, including selective permeability, junctional protein expression, and receptor‐mediated uptake pathways. Using this system, the trafficking and accumulation of structurally distinct nanoparticles, including liposomes, nanoplastics, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), were compared. Among these, heterologous EVs exhibit the highest transport efficiency. Analysis of nanoparticle properties suggest that ligand presentation and membrane composition, rather than size or stiffness, primarily govern BBB penetration. The mBBB platform provides a high‐throughput, imaging‐based framework to systematically interrogate nanoparticle trafficking across the BBB and offers a translational tool for both drug delivery and neurotoxicity screening.
More Papers Like This
A physiological microfluidic blood-brain-barrier model for in vitro study of nanoparticle trafficking and accumulation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a physiological microfluidic blood-brain barrier model using human brain endothelial cells in direct contact with astrocytes and pericytes in an extracellular matrix. They used the model to study how nanoparticles including nanoplastics traffic across the barrier, finding that particle type and size influenced transcytosis rates.
Polystyrene nanoplastic-encapsulated extracellular vesicles promote blood-brain barrier breakdown and accumulate in the brain.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that extracellular vesicles encapsulating polystyrene nanoplastics prolonged intracellular retention in human endothelial cells, caused a 2.8-fold greater decline in blood-brain barrier electrical resistance than free nanoplastics alone, and promoted brain accumulation in vivo — implicating vesicle-mediated transport as a significant route for nanoplastic neurological entry.
Nanoplastics Penetration Across the Blood-Brain Barrier
AI summary Read the abstract
Using long-timescale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, researchers modelled how four types of polymer nanoparticles passively permeate the blood-brain barrier. They found that nanoplastics of different compositions varied in their BBB penetration free energy, with some polymers showing thermodynamically favourable crossing, providing mechanistic insight into nanoplastic brain entry.
Towards the development and applications of blood-brain barrier in vitro models for neurotoxicity assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the current state of in vitro blood-brain barrier models and their utility for evaluating the neurotoxic potential of environmental contaminants including micro- and nanoplastics. The review identifies validation challenges and argues for more human-relevant model systems to close gaps in regulatory neurotoxicity assessment.
Towards the development and applications of blood-brain barrier in vitro models for neurotoxicity assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined the development and applications of in vitro blood-brain barrier models for assessing neurotoxicity of chemicals, drugs, and particles including nanoplastics. The authors argue that human cell-derived BBB models are critical alternatives to animal testing for predicting neurological effects of emerging contaminants.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.