Size-Dependent Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles in Cochlear Cells In Vitro

Figure 5

Ultrastructure of HaCaT cells incubated for 24 h with the AgNPs with diameters of 5 nm (a), 25 nm (b), 50 nm (c), and 110 nm (d). All types of NPs were captured by the cells, but the NPs of 50 nm were observed with the highest number on our sections (c). The AgNPs were identified in the endosomes (en)—sometimes of large diameters, such as in the case of incubation with NPs of 5 nm (a), as clusters in contact with the cytoplasm, and inside lysosomes (ly). The HaCaT cells incubated with all types of AgNPs had a lower number of plasma membrane (pm) extensions. n—nucleus, rer—endoplasmic reticulum.

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