EMBRACE: Exploring Microplastic Behavior and Risks in the Placenta and During Early Development
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Abstract
The growing plastic pollution (e.g. micro- and nanoplastics, MNPs) has shown to pose potential threats to human health. Especially,
microplastic particles have recently been found in the placentas of unborn babies and in infant's feces with significant amounts.
Recent researches on placental barrier (PB) suggests that particle accumulation in the PB can impact placental functions and elicit
indirect placenta-mediated developmental toxicity. The accumulated particles may also pass through the PB to directly affect the
developing foetus. However, it is still unknown whether/which/how MNPs can pass through the PB into unborn babies, and the
research potential risks of MNPs exposure during the early development stage is very much in its infancy. Currently, three key
questions limit the depth of research: 1) How to detect and quantify the MNPs in the PB? 2) What is the fate of MNPs within and
beyond the PB (i.e. the translocation and the transformation of MNPs after crossing the PB)? 3) What effects does translocated MNPs
on placenta structures, functions and fetal early development? Due to the complexity of PB system and the low amount of MNPs
actually entering the PB, localizing and quantifying MNPs will be a challengeable task. Additionally, current testing on PB and
developing foetus is mainly focused on animal models with poor predictive power. Thus, novel approaches are urgently needed to
enable a breakthrough in our understanding of the ability of MNPs to cross the PB and trace their biological effects on placenta,
developing foetus and the early development stage of human. The project EMBRACE proposes combining novel metal labelling
technique with a dynamic in vitro chip-based PB model and advanced cell analysis technologies to assess MNPs translocation
behaviors acrossing PB and potential risks in placenta and early development.
microplastic particles have recently been found in the placentas of unborn babies and in infant's feces with significant amounts.
Recent researches on placental barrier (PB) suggests that particle accumulation in the PB can impact placental functions and elicit
indirect placenta-mediated developmental toxicity. The accumulated particles may also pass through the PB to directly affect the
developing foetus. However, it is still unknown whether/which/how MNPs can pass through the PB into unborn babies, and the
research potential risks of MNPs exposure during the early development stage is very much in its infancy. Currently, three key
questions limit the depth of research: 1) How to detect and quantify the MNPs in the PB? 2) What is the fate of MNPs within and
beyond the PB (i.e. the translocation and the transformation of MNPs after crossing the PB)? 3) What effects does translocated MNPs
on placenta structures, functions and fetal early development? Due to the complexity of PB system and the low amount of MNPs
actually entering the PB, localizing and quantifying MNPs will be a challengeable task. Additionally, current testing on PB and
developing foetus is mainly focused on animal models with poor predictive power. Thus, novel approaches are urgently needed to
enable a breakthrough in our understanding of the ability of MNPs to cross the PB and trace their biological effects on placenta,
developing foetus and the early development stage of human. The project EMBRACE proposes combining novel metal labelling
technique with a dynamic in vitro chip-based PB model and advanced cell analysis technologies to assess MNPs translocation
behaviors acrossing PB and potential risks in placenta and early development.
