Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Zebrafish Model in Aquatic Ecotoxicology

This review examines how zebrafish are used as model organisms to study the toxic effects of environmental pollutants in water, including microplastics. Zebrafish are ideal because they reproduce quickly, are inexpensive to maintain, and allow researchers to study effects at the genetic, cellular, and whole-organism level. The paper provides a reference guide for scientists choosing model animals for aquatic toxicology research.

2023 Water 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Zebrafish: An emerging model to study microplastic and nanoplastic toxicity

This review highlights zebrafish as an increasingly valuable model organism for studying the toxic effects of micro- and nanoplastics due to their transparent embryos, genetic similarity to humans, and ease of laboratory use. Researchers summarized existing zebrafish studies showing that plastic particles can cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues, causing various toxic effects. The study positions zebrafish research as a key tool for advancing our understanding of how plastic particle exposure affects living organisms.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 434 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress of model animal zebrafish in toxicity evaluation of microplastics

This review examines the use of zebrafish as a model organism for evaluating the toxicity of microplastics, synthesizing research on how microplastic exposure affects development, reproduction, and physiological function in this well-established vertebrate model. The authors highlight zebrafish as a particularly valuable system for mechanistic toxicology studies given its genetic tractability and the breadth of endpoints assessable across life stages.

2022 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects on immunity of exposure to microplastics in adult zebrafish

Adult zebrafish exposed to microplastics showed changes in liver gene expression, gut and gill tissue damage, and altered swimming behavior, indicating that microplastic exposure triggers multiple biological stress responses. The study highlights the relevance of zebrafish as a model for assessing microplastic toxicity.

2019 Use Siena air (University of Siena)
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive review of ecological risks and toxicity mechanisms of microplastics in freshwater: Focus on zebrafish as a model organism

This comprehensive review examines how microplastics affect zebrafish, a widely used laboratory model, covering impacts on the gut, liver, reproductive system, nervous system, and immune function. Researchers found that microplastics can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of gut bacteria across multiple organ systems. The review highlights that zebrafish studies provide valuable insights into the biological mechanisms by which microplastics may affect freshwater organisms and, potentially, human health.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Zebrafish as Model Organism in Aquatic Ecotoxicology: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

This review assessed zebrafish as model organisms for aquatic ecotoxicology, summarizing current trends and future directions in using Danio rerio to study the effects of environmental pollutants including microplastics. The authors highlight the zebrafish model's utility for integrating molecular, cellular, and whole-organism responses.

2023 IntechOpen eBooks 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The Zebrafish as an Alternative Animal Model for Ecotoxicological Research and Testing

This review highlights zebrafish as a valuable model for studying the toxic effects of environmental contaminants, including microplastics, because they share many biological pathways with humans. Zebrafish embryos, larvae, and adults can be used to screen for harmful effects of pollutants quickly and at multiple life stages. The approach helps researchers understand how microplastics and other environmental contaminants might affect human health without requiring direct human testing.

2024 Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

O Modelo Zebrafish e sua Contribuição ao Meio Ambiente

This Brazilian review examined zebrafish as a model organism for testing water quality and the toxicity of micropollutants including microplastics in wastewater. Zebrafish are increasingly used as a standard test system for evaluating the biological effects of microplastic exposure because their genetics and physiology closely mirror human responses.

2021
Article Tier 2

Toxicological Assessment of Microplastics in Zebrafish: Biochemical Responses and Histopathological Changes

Zebrafish were exposed to polyethylene microplastics (50 and 100 µm) at concentrations from 0.1 to 500 µg/L for up to 24 days, with bioaccumulation found to be dose-dependent and concentrated in the liver and gut. While survival was high (>95%), histopathological damage in liver and intestinal tissue increased significantly with dose.

2025 Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Advantages of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model in solving contemporary problems of neurotoxicity, teratotoxicity and genotoxicity of xenobiotics

This paper is not about microplastics per se; it is a Polish-language review of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model in toxicology, covering its use for assessing neurotoxicity, teratotoxicity, and genotoxicity of xenobiotics including nanoparticles and microplastics, with discussion of the micronucleus and comet assays used to detect genetic damage.

2023 Farmacja Polska 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration in Zebrafish

This review covers how micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) exposure affects neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration in zebrafish, summarising evidence on impaired neurodevelopment, behavioural changes, and markers of neurodegeneration from studies using various polymer types and exposure routes. It frames zebrafish as a key model for understanding MNP neurotoxicity.

2025
Review Tier 2

Advances of microplastics ingestion on the morphological and behavioral conditions of model zebrafish: A review

This review summarizes research on how microplastic ingestion affects zebrafish, a popular lab animal that shares genetic similarities with humans. Studies show that microplastics cause a range of harmful effects in zebrafish, including abnormal behavior, oxidative stress, immune disruption, and reproductive problems, with smaller particles and higher concentrations causing the most damage. Since zebrafish are used as a model for human health, these findings raise concerns about what similar exposure levels could mean for people.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics and liver oncogenesis: A comprehensive review on molecular mechanisms and pathogenic pathways

Researchers reviewed mechanisms by which microplastic exposure may promote liver cancer, identifying oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory signaling, and epigenetic disruption as key pathways, while noting that microplastics can also carry heavy metals and organic pollutants that synergistically amplify hepatotoxic and carcinogenic risk.

2026 Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model for research in toxicological studies

This review explains why zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a valuable model organism for toxicology research, summarizing how their biology, genetics, and organ systems resemble those of humans enough to yield insights about human health risks. Zebrafish are widely used in microplastic toxicology studies, and this review provides context for understanding the significance of zebrafish findings for human health. The paper covers applications across disease modeling and environmental toxicology.

2021 Journal of Applied and Natural Science 4 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Zebrafish and Drosophila as Model Systems for Studying the Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics ‐ A Systematic Review

This systematic review examines how zebrafish and fruit flies are being used as model organisms to study the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on living systems. These animal models help researchers understand how plastic particles interact with biological tissues, providing insights that are relevant to potential human health effects.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and Accumulation of Polystyrene Microplastics in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Toxic Effects in Liver

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics of two different sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body. They found that smaller particles (5 micrometers) built up in the gills, liver, and gut, while larger particles (20 micrometers) mainly stayed in the gills and gut. The microplastics caused liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted fat metabolism, suggesting that ingested microplastics can damage internal organs in fish.

2016 Environmental Science & Technology 1980 citations
Article Tier 2

Danio rerio as a Model Animal for Assessing Microplastic Toxicity

This review examines the use of zebrafish as a model organism for assessing microplastic toxicity, summarizing experimental findings across polymer types and sizes showing that microplastic exposure induces epithelial damage, lipid metabolism disruption, reproductive impairment, and neurobehavioral alterations, and discussing the strengths and limitations of Danio rerio for microplastic hazard assessment.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Development of 3D spheroids from fish liver cells as in-vitro models to assess the effects of plastics in aquatic systems

Three-dimensional fish liver cell spheroids were developed as in vitro models to assess toxicity of conventional plastics, biodegradable plastics, and beach-collected mesoplastics, with photodegradation and composting shown to influence toxic responses in liver cells.

2024 Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic exposure disturbs hepatic glycolipid metabolism at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and examined effects on liver metabolism at multiple biological levels. The study found that microplastic exposure caused significant decreases in body weight and disrupted glycolipid metabolism, with reduced levels of key metabolic enzymes and gene expression changes in the liver. Transcriptomic analysis confirmed widespread downregulation of genes related to fatty acid, amino acid, and carbon metabolism.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 237 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and chemical contaminants on the organ toxicity of zebrafish ( Danio rerio )

Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastics and chemical contaminants like PCBs and methylmercury on zebrafish organs over three weeks of exposure. They found that microplastics carrying adsorbed contaminants produced the most significant effects, particularly on the liver, compared to either microplastics or contaminants alone. The results indicate that microplastics may act as carriers that increase the delivery of harmful chemicals to organisms' tissues.

2018 Environmental Research 406 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in the Environment and the Effects on the Zebrafish

This study reviewed the effects of nanoplastic exposure on zebrafish, covering how these tiny particles affect development, organ function, behavior, and reproductive success. Zebrafish are a widely used model organism for toxicology, and findings in this species provide insight into potential effects in other vertebrates including humans.

2019 American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences 2 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Potential toxicity of microplastics on vertebrate liver: A systematic review and meta–analysis

This meta-analysis of 118 studies found that microplastics damage vertebrate livers by inducing oxidative stress and intracellular toxicity, altering biotransformation processes, and disrupting lipid metabolism. Organisms at earlier life stages, exposed to smaller particles, and for longer durations showed the greatest liver damage, with catalase, GST, reactive oxygen species, and alkaline phosphatase levels progressively increasing with microplastic concentration.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Histological, enzymatic and chemical analyses of the potential effects of differently sized microplastic particles upon long-term ingestion in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish to microplastics of varying sizes for extended periods and conducted histological and biochemical analyses, finding no evidence of particle translocation to liver in properly controlled experiments and calling for critical reassessment of studies claiming large microplastics cross biological barriers.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 74 citations
Article Tier 2

In vivo biotoxicological assessment of nanoplastics and microplastics predicted using the zebrafish model

This review summarises zebrafish studies on the toxicity of nanoplastics and microplastics, covering developmental, reproductive, neurological, and organ-level effects. It discusses how findings in this widely used model organism may predict human health outcomes and calls for standardised exposure protocols.

2025 PeerJ