Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Zebrafish embryos as a biological model to study the effects of nanoplastics

This study used zebrafish embryos as a model system to investigate the toxic effects of nanoplastics, finding developmental disruptions at concentrations relevant to environmental exposure. Zebrafish embryos are a widely used model because their transparency allows direct visualization of organ development during toxicant exposure.

2019 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
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

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
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

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

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
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic Exposure Mediates Neurodevelopmental Toxicity by Activating the Oxidative Stress Response in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Exposure to 20-nanometer plastic particles caused developmental problems in zebrafish embryos, including shorter body length, heart defects, and lower survival rates. The nanoplastics specifically damaged the development of motor neurons and triggered oxidative stress, a harmful chemical imbalance in cells. These results suggest that very small plastic particles could interfere with early brain and nerve development.

2024 ACS Omega 25 citations
Article Tier 2

A current perspective on the relevance of nano and microplastics in the neurodevelopmental disorders: further relevance for metabolic, gastrointestinal, oxidative stress-related and zebrafish studies

This review examines evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may affect brain development and neurological function, drawing on studies in zebrafish and other animal models. The authors discuss potential mechanisms including oxidative stress and endocrine disruption, and call for more research on the neurodevelopmental risks of plastic particle exposure.

2020 Bulletin of Integrative Psychiatry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

From particle size to brain function: a zebrafish-based review of micro/nanoplastic-induced neurobehavioral toxicity and mechanistic pathways

This review uses zebrafish as a model to examine how micro- and nanoplastics cause neurobehavioral toxicity, linking particle size to brain function disruption. Researchers summarize evidence that these plastic particles impair fish behavior and cause molecular-level damage in the nervous system. The findings highlight the growing concern that micro- and nanoplastics are emerging neurotoxicants in aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce developmental impairments and vasotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed developmental problems including heart defects, brain abnormalities, blood vessel damage, and reduced swimming ability. The nanoplastics accumulated on the fish's body and triggered cell damage and oxidative stress even at very low doses. Since zebrafish are commonly used to model human developmental processes, these findings raise concerns about what nanoplastic exposure could mean for early human development.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Risk of Microplastics and Nanoplastics to Environmental and Human Health

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and human cell lines to microplastics and nanoplastics and observed uptake of particles along with toxicity including impaired embryo growth, cardiovascular effects in fish, and reduced energy production in human cells. The study demonstrates cross-species toxicity risks from plastic particle exposure.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Current Aspects on the Plastic Nano- and Microparticles Toxicity in Zebrafish—Focus on the Correlation between Oxidative Stress Responses and Neurodevelopment

This review examines how nano- and micro-sized plastic particles cause toxic effects in zebrafish, focusing on the link between oxidative stress and neurodevelopmental damage. Researchers found that plastic particle exposure disrupts the balance of reactive oxygen species in cells, which can impair brain development and nervous system function. The study suggests these oxidative stress responses may serve as early warning signals of plastic particle toxicity in aquatic organisms.

2023 Animals 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Zebrafish Insights into Nanomaterial Toxicity: A Focused Exploration on Metallic, Metal Oxide, Semiconductor, and Mixed-Metal Nanoparticles

This review summarizes research on how various nanomaterials, including nano-sized plastics, affect zebrafish, which are commonly used as stand-ins for studying human health effects. Exposure to nanomaterials caused developmental defects, organ damage, behavioral changes, and reproductive problems in zebrafish. These findings help scientists understand the potential health risks of nanomaterial exposure to humans and the environment.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Unravelling the developmental toxicity of heavy metals using zebrafish as a model: a narrative review

This review summarizes research on how heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, harm developing zebrafish embryos, which share about 80% of their genes with humans. These metals cause oxidative stress, disrupt brain development, and trigger cell death at environmentally relevant levels. The findings are relevant to microplastics research because microplastics can carry and concentrate these same heavy metals, potentially worsening their toxic effects on human development.

2025 BioMetals 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause developmental abnormalities, oxidative damage and immune toxicity in early zebrafish development

Zebrafish embryos exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed dose-dependent developmental problems including delayed hatching, reduced survival, smaller body size, and the nanoplastics accumulated in critical organs like the eyes, heart, liver, and brain. The particles triggered oxidative stress that damaged cells and activated inflammatory immune responses, demonstrating how nanoplastic contamination in water can cause widespread harm to developing organisms.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics induce neurotoxicity in zebrafish via oxidative stress and neurotransmitter disruption

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found that both particle sizes caused neurodevelopmental toxicity, with nanoplastics being more potent. The plastic particles induced oxidative stress in the brain and disrupted neurotransmitter levels critical for normal neural development. The study suggests that microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments may pose significant risks to the neurological development of fish.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Neurotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics with different particle sizes at environment-related concentrations on early zebrafish embryos

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes at concentrations found in the environment and observed significant brain damage. The nanoplastics caused loss of neurons, shortened nerve fibers, and disrupted brain signaling systems that control behavior. Smaller nanoplastics caused the most severe damage because they could pass through protective barriers more easily, suggesting that the tiniest plastic particles pose the greatest risk to brain development.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 99 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on the impacts of nanomaterials on neuromodulation and neurological dysfunction using a zebrafish animal model

This review assessed zebrafish as a model for studying nanomaterial neurotoxicity, summarizing evidence that various engineered nanoparticles including those associated with plastics can impair zebrafish neural development, behavior, and neurotransmitter systems. The authors highlighted zebrafish as particularly useful for rapid in vivo screening of nanomaterial neurological effects.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Developmental Toxicity by Activating the Oxidative Stress Response and Base Excision Repair Pathway in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics at various concentrations and found significant developmental abnormalities including reduced hatching rates and increased malformations. The nanoplastics activated oxidative stress responses and DNA repair pathways, indicating cellular damage during critical early development stages. The study provides mechanistic evidence for how nanoplastic exposure can disrupt normal embryonic development in aquatic organisms.

2022 ACS Omega 90 citations