Zheng JH, Li YT, Yang ST, Jia SY, Zheng LW, Wan M. Silent saboteurs: How microplastics disrupt stem cells and tissue regeneration. World J Stem Cells 2025; 17(10): 110507 [DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i10.110507]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Mian Wan, DDS, PhD, Academic Fellow, Associate Chief Physician, Associate Professor, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. mianwan@scu.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Cell Biology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 26, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 27, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Stem Cells
ISSN
1948-0210
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Zheng JH, Li YT, Yang ST, Jia SY, Zheng LW, Wan M. Silent saboteurs: How microplastics disrupt stem cells and tissue regeneration. World J Stem Cells 2025; 17(10): 110507 [DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i10.110507]
Jia-Hui Zheng, Yi-Ting Li, Shu-Ting Yang, Shi-Yu Jia, Li-Wei Zheng, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Mian Wan, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Zheng JH wrote the original manuscript and drew the diagrams; Li YT, Yang ST, and Jia SY wrote and edited the manuscript; Zheng LW and Wan M supervised and edited the manuscript; Wan M conceived the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82470939 and No. 82170921.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mian Wan, DDS, PhD, Academic Fellow, Associate Chief Physician, Associate Professor, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. mianwan@scu.edu.cn
Received: June 12, 2025 Revised: July 17, 2025 Accepted: September 16, 2025 Published online: October 26, 2025 Processing time: 139 Days and 11.4 Hours
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles with diameters less than 5 mm, have become significant global environmental contaminants. MPs accumulate in human tissues and organs, raising significant concerns about their potential biological toxicity. Evidence indicates that MPs and associated toxins disrupt stem cell self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation processes essential for tissue regeneration and systemic homeostasis, yet research on MP-induced stem cell damage remains limited. To identify relevant and recent studies, we searched the PubMed database using title and abstract fields. This review synthesizes current evidence across organ systems, including nervous, hematopoietic, skeletal, and urinary systems, to systematically categorize phenotypic disruptions and underlying mechanisms in stem cells. We further evaluate the utility of stem-cell-derived organoids in modeling organ-specific MP toxicity. By consolidating fragmented findings, this work provides a critical framework for assessing MP risks to tissue regeneration and informs strategies for regenerative medicine and public health protection.
Core Tip: Microplastics (MPs) have become significant global environmental contaminants. However, the impact of MPs on human health, particularly their effects on stem cells and tissue regeneration, remains poorly understood. This review aims to synthesize existing research on the impact of MPs on stem cell function and tissue regeneration, with a focus on the underlying mechanisms driving these effects. We also discuss the applications and prospects of organoid technology derived from stem cells in the study of MP toxicity.
