Article in the journal ACS Nano

Rok Podlipec, Luka Pirker, Ana Krišelj, and Primož Pelicon from the Condensed Matter Physics Departments and the Department of Low and Medium Energy Physics, in collaboration with colleagues from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Germany) and Elettra-Sincrotrone (Italy), have published an article in the journal ACS Nano presenting new approaches in advanced high-resolution correlative microscopy to uncover mechanisms of interaction between harmful nanoparticles and lung epithelium.

In their study, they used complementary optical, electron, and ion microscopy techniques on the same samples to analyze the relationship between the structural and functional characteristics of cellular responses to TiO₂ nanoparticles and their biological effects.

Key findings include extensive accumulation of essential minerals and iron, binding of DNA molecules, and localized formation of fibrous structures on the surface of lung cells where nanoparticles were immobilized. These processes confirm the activation of immune responses and contribute to a better understanding of the early stages of inflammation. The developed experimental approach provides a solid foundation for future research into the initial mechanisms of nanoparticle toxicity in biological systems at the nanoscale.