Correlative high resolution microscopies to investigate the role of endothelial cells in the prenatal toxicity of nanoplastics

The increasing abundance of micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment is a growing concern due to their expected toxicity and potential harm to human health. Reproductive and prenatal toxicities are poorly investigated, and therefore, research in this area is critical and emerging.
This proposal seeks to study the toxicity of a particular type of microplastics found in the environment. To accomplish this, Quantum Dots labelled model nano plastics (NPs) will be used to evaluate their effects on umbilical endothelial cell models. The aim is to investigate the potential prenatal impact by using a combination of high-resolution imaging techniques. Specifically, we will focus on the HUVEC cell model in vitro to track the NPs' intracellular accumulation and internalization.