Automated Image Analysis of CNS Cell Cultures Exposed to Microplastics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17979/ja-cea.2025.46.12164Keywords:
Micro-plastics, Nano-plastics, CNS Cell Cultures, Deep Learning, Image ProcessingAbstract
This study investigates the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) micro- and nanoplastics on primary central nervous system (CNS) cell cultures containing neurons and glial cells. Cultures were continuously exposed for 28 days to PET and PP at 100 and 500 μg/mL. Phase-contrast microscopy images were acquired at multiple time points and analyzed using FIJI software to quantify non-cellular (void) areas and glial cell coverage. The most significant morphological
alterations were observed in PET100 and PP500 conditions, showing increased void areas and glial proliferation compared to
controls. These changes suggest a stress response consistent with glial reactivity. The method enabled non-invasive, longitudinalanalysis without affecting cell viability and demonstrated the value of phase-contrast imaging for toxicological assessment. The approach proved reproducible and scalable, supporting its use in mechanistic studies. Overall, the findings highlight the potential
neurotoxic impact of environmental microplastics and the usefulness of image-based tools for evaluating long-term effects in in vitro CNS models.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Carina Viviana Rolhaiser-Pérez, Gerard Villarroya Piqué, Esther Serrano Pertierra, M. Teresa Fernández Sánchez, Antonello Novelli, Alexander McCarty, Angel Francisco del Rio Alvarez, Víctor M. González Suárez
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