Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce biochemical and metabolism changes in human placental explants

This study examined how polystyrene microplastics affect biochemical pathways and metabolism in human placental cells, with microplastics having been detected in human placental tissue. Polystyrene microplastics induced metabolic and biochemical changes in placental cells, raising concern for placental function and fetal health during pregnancy.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene microplastics alters placental metabolism in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics and examined how placental metabolism was affected. The study found significant changes in placental metabolic pathways that could help explain the fetal growth restriction previously observed in microplastic-exposed pregnancies. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure during pregnancy may interfere with the placenta's ability to support normal fetal development.

2022 Metabolomics 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposition on human placental explants induces time-dependent cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and metabolic alterations

Researchers exposed human placental tissue to polystyrene microplastics in the lab and found that the particles caused increasing cell damage over time, along with oxidative stress and disruptions to key metabolic processes including energy production and folate metabolism. Folate is critical for fetal development, so interference with its metabolism is particularly concerning. This study adds to growing evidence that microplastic contamination could affect pregnancy outcomes and fetal health.

2024 Frontiers in Endocrinology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of a realistic concentration of human exposure to microplastics on markers of placental barrier permeability in pregnant rats

Researchers exposed pregnant rats to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations realistic for human exposure and examined effects on the placenta. They found that the microplastics accumulated in placental tissue, caused oxidative stress, triggered cell death, and reduced the expression of proteins that maintain the placental barrier. The study provides the first evidence that realistic levels of microplastic exposure can compromise the protective barrier between mother and developing offspring.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of the human placental primary cells to nanoplastics induces cytotoxic effects, an inflammatory response and endocrine disruption

Scientists exposed human placental cells to polystyrene nanoparticles at concentrations found in human blood and observed cell death, inflammation, and disrupted hormone production, with smaller 20-nanometer particles causing more damage than larger ones. This is significant because the placenta is the critical barrier protecting developing babies, and these findings suggest nanoplastics may interfere with pregnancy hormones and placental function at real-world exposure levels.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to human trophoblasts in vitro

Researchers used human trophoblast cells to evaluate the potential toxicity of 100-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics on placental function. The study found that nanoplastic exposure affected trophoblast cell viability and function at certain concentrations, suggesting potential implications for understanding nanoplastic effects during pregnancy.

2022 Environmental Pollution 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics internalization by term placental chorionic villi explants

Researchers exposed human placental tissue samples to polystyrene microplastics in the laboratory and found that the particles could cross the placental barrier and distribute within the tissue. Using advanced microscopy techniques, they observed microplastics penetrating the outer layer of placental villi and reaching deeper tissue structures within 72 hours. The findings raise concerns about potential fetal exposure to microplastics during pregnancy.

2025 Placenta 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene micro and nanoplastics and found that exposure caused fetal growth restriction and placental abnormalities. The study observed that plastic particles accumulated in placental tissue and disrupted normal placental function. These findings raise concern that maternal exposure to plastic particles during pregnancy may interfere with fetal development.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Limited passage and functional effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in a physiologically-relevant in vitro human placental co-culture model

Researchers developed a placental co-culture model to study how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics cross the placental barrier. The study found that smaller nanoplastics (50 nm) crossed more readily than larger particles, and while most cellular functions remained unaffected, exposure to the smallest nanoplastics caused a 17% decrease in estradiol hormone levels, suggesting potential endocrine effects.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Artificial plasticenta: how polystyrene nanoplastics affect in-vitro cultured human trophoblast cells

This lab study exposed placental cells (trophoblasts) to polystyrene nanoplastics and found signs of cell damage, metabolic stress, and structural breakdown under the microscope. The findings suggest that plastic nanoparticles could interfere with placental function during pregnancy, which raises concerns about potential effects on fetal development from everyday environmental plastic exposure.

2025 Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles retarded fetal growth and triggered metabolic disorders of placenta and fetus in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics through drinking water and found that higher concentrations led to significantly reduced fetal weight. The nanoplastics caused abnormal cell structures in the placenta and disrupted metabolic processes in both placental tissue and fetal livers. The study suggests that maternal nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy can cross the placental barrier and interfere with normal fetal growth and metabolism.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Gestational exposure to polystyrene microplastics incurred placental damage in mice: Insights into metabolic and gene expression disorders

This mouse study found that when pregnant mice were exposed to tiny polystyrene microplastics (0.1 micrometers), the particles crossed the placenta and reached fetal livers and brains, causing placental damage and impaired fetal development. Larger microplastics (5 micrometers) were less able to cross the placenta, suggesting that the smallest plastic particles pose the greatest risk during pregnancy.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced toxic effects of photoaged microplastics on the trophoblast cells

Researchers investigated how light-aged polystyrene microplastics affect placental function in pregnant mice and found that aged particles caused greater harm than pristine ones. Oral exposure to microplastics starting early in pregnancy impaired fetal growth and damaged the placental tissue layer. The enhanced toxicity of aged microplastics appears to be linked to changes in their physical properties and increased lipid peroxidation in trophoblast cells.

2025 Toxicology Letters 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastics as a novel threat to maternal-fetal health: Placental barrier penetration and fetal developmental consequences

This review addressed how microplastics cross the placental barrier and affect fetal development, covering cellular responses in placental tissue, animal model findings, and limited human study data. The authors concluded that transplacental microplastic transfer is a plausible mechanism for intergenerational health effects.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic toxicity assessment of differently sized and charged polystyrene nanoparticles based on human placental cells

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes and surface charges affect human placental cells, which are critical for fetal development. Smaller nanoplastics and those with positive surface charges caused the most damage, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cell death. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could potentially pose risks to placental function, highlighting the need for further research on these particles' effects during pregnancy.

2022 Water Research 118 citations
Article Tier 2

Dual impact of microplastic exposure in a mouse model: Impaired uterine receptivity and altered maternal-offspring metabolism

Researchers exposed female mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles impaired uterine receptivity, which is critical for embryo implantation, and altered metabolic profiles in both the mothers and their offspring. The microplastics disrupted gene expression related to uterine function and caused metabolic changes across multiple organs. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure could have reproductive and metabolic consequences that extend to the next generation.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney and Liver Cell Morphology, Cellular Proliferation, and Metabolism

Researchers exposed human kidney and liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations to assess their effects on cell health. They found that microplastics altered cell shape, reduced proliferation, and disrupted cellular metabolism, with smaller particles generally causing more damage. The findings suggest that microplastics reaching internal organs could have measurable effects at the cellular level.

2022 ACS Omega 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics disturb maternal glucose homeostasis and induce adverse pregnancy outcomes

Pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics developed abnormal blood sugar levels and experienced poor pregnancy outcomes, including placental damage and restricted fetal growth. The study found that microplastics disrupted glucose metabolism through inflammation and a cellular stress response, suggesting that microplastic exposure during pregnancy could contribute to complications similar to gestational diabetes.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene micro and nano-particles induce metabolic rewiring in normal human colon cells: A risk factor for human health

Researchers exposed normal human colon cells to polystyrene micro and nanoplastic particles and observed significant metabolic changes in the cells. The study found that these plastic particles altered energy metabolism and cellular pathways in ways that could increase vulnerability to disease. These findings raise concerns that routine ingestion of microplastics through contaminated food may affect normal intestinal cell function in humans.

2022 Chemosphere 93 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Editorial: Maternal-fetal interface: new insight in placenta research, volume II

This editorial compiles research showing that microplastics have been detected in human placental tissue and induce cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and metabolic disturbances in placental explants. The collection of studies underscores that environmental contaminants including microplastics represent a significant and urgent threat to placental function and fetal development.

2025 Frontiers in Endocrinology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoparticles Disrupt Oxidative Phosphorylation and Impair Placental Development in Mice

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoparticles disrupted placental development in mice by impairing energy production in placental mitochondria. The exposure led to decreased ATP production, increased oxidative stress, and altered signaling pathways important for placental growth and barrier function. The study provides evidence for a specific mechanism by which nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could affect embryonic development.

2026 Toxics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Activate Autophagy and Suppress Trophoblast Cell Migration/Invasion and Migrasome Formation to Induce Miscarriage

In mouse and cell studies, polystyrene nanoplastics at doses near real-world human exposure levels caused miscarriage by blocking the movement of placental cells needed for a healthy pregnancy. The nanoplastics triggered a cellular recycling process called autophagy that broke down key proteins required for placental cell migration and invasion.

2024 ACS Nano 103 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of polystyrene microplastics on human intestinal cells health and function

This study examined how polystyrene microplastics affect normal and cancer intestinal cells, addressing a gap left by previous research that used only cancer cell lines and pristine plastics. The work evaluated microplastic toxicity under more realistic conditions including digestive system biotransformation, assessing effects on nutrient uptake and cellular function.

2022 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics during pregnancy and fetal liver function

Researchers detected microplastics in the placentas of nearly 90% of over 1,000 pregnant women and found that higher placental microplastic levels were linked to elevated liver enzymes in umbilical cord blood. This suggests that microplastics crossing the placenta may affect fetal liver function before birth, raising concerns about the health effects of prenatal plastic exposure.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 10 citations