How tiny plastic particles can affect our immune cells

Our podcast guests discuss a study exploring how tiny plastic particles, called micro- and nanoplastics, affect certain immune cells in the human body. These particles can enter immune cells from both a lab-grown cell line and directly from human blood cells. The researchers used advanced imaging techniques to see how these plastic particles are taken up by the cells. They also looked at how exposure to these plastics changes the cells' energy use, whether they cause damage, how they behave, and if they produce more harmful molecules. The study found that higher amounts of these plastics can lead to cell damage and trigger the production of chemicals that might be harmful. This highlights the need for more research to understand how plastic pollution could impact human health