57
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
V. Kumar et al. (eds.), Nanotoxicology and Nanoecotoxicology Vol. 1,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 59,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63241-0_3
Chapter 3
Safety and Utility of Nanomaterials
on Reproduction and Development:
An Update of Alternative Methods
Anna Giulia Cattaneo
Contents
3.1 Introduction
58
3.2 In Vitro Exposure of Sperm and Other Cells of the Male Gonad
60
3.3 In Vitro Exposure of Eggs and Follicular Cells of the Female Gonad
62
3.3.1 Collection of Oocyte and Follicular Cells of the Female Gonads
64
3.3.2 In Vitro Exposure of Different Types of Ovary Cells
64
3.4 The Placenta: A Differentiated Mother-to-Fetus Biological Barrier in Mammals
65
3.4.1 Alternative Models to Evaluate the Transport Across the Placenta
66
3.4.2 Nanomaterials and Alternative Models of the Placenta
69
3.5 Embryonic Exposure and Embryotoxicity
70
3.5.1 Culture of Early Mammal Embryo
71
3.5.2 Whole Embryo Culture
73
3.5.3 The Multipotent Embryonic Stem Cells
74
3.5.4 Zebrafish Embryo Test
76
3.6 Conclusions
81
References
82
Abstract Nanomaterials offer innovative and convenient solutions to deliver drugs
or genes to the embryo and fetus, improve artificial fertilization, induce in vitro
differentiation of stem cells, promote controlled growth, and obtain specialized
tissues and mini-organs. However, the impact of nanomaterials implies a significant
risk of reproductive toxicity, whose assessment is challenging. Therefore, wellplanned alternative methods, not involving mammals, are needed to reduce the
burden. The double aim of this review is, on the one hand, to identify the
nanomaterials that can be proficiently exploited in medicine and biology, and, on
the other hand, to define those unequivocally toxic for the reproduction of vertebrates.
Each section is dedicated to a set of tests for the evaluation of the effects of
A. G. Cattaneo (*)
Department of Biotechnology and Life Science (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
e-mail: annagiulia.cattaneo@uninsubria.it
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
V. Kumar et al. (eds.), Nanotoxicology and Nanoecotoxicology Vol. 1,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 59,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63241-0_3
Chapter 3
Safety and Utility of Nanomaterials
on Reproduction and Development:
An Update of Alternative Methods
Anna Giulia Cattaneo
Contents
3.1 Introduction
58
3.2 In Vitro Exposure of Sperm and Other Cells of the Male Gonad
60
3.3 In Vitro Exposure of Eggs and Follicular Cells of the Female Gonad
62
3.3.1 Collection of Oocyte and Follicular Cells of the Female Gonads
64
3.3.2 In Vitro Exposure of Different Types of Ovary Cells
64
3.4 The Placenta: A Differentiated Mother-to-Fetus Biological Barrier in Mammals
65
3.4.1 Alternative Models to Evaluate the Transport Across the Placenta
66
3.4.2 Nanomaterials and Alternative Models of the Placenta
69
3.5 Embryonic Exposure and Embryotoxicity
70
3.5.1 Culture of Early Mammal Embryo
71
3.5.2 Whole Embryo Culture
73
3.5.3 The Multipotent Embryonic Stem Cells
74
3.5.4 Zebrafish Embryo Test
76
3.6 Conclusions
81
References
82
Abstract Nanomaterials offer innovative and convenient solutions to deliver drugs
or genes to the embryo and fetus, improve artificial fertilization, induce in vitro
differentiation of stem cells, promote controlled growth, and obtain specialized
tissues and mini-organs. However, the impact of nanomaterials implies a significant
risk of reproductive toxicity, whose assessment is challenging. Therefore, wellplanned alternative methods, not involving mammals, are needed to reduce the
burden. The double aim of this review is, on the one hand, to identify the
nanomaterials that can be proficiently exploited in medicine and biology, and, on
the other hand, to define those unequivocally toxic for the reproduction of vertebrates.
Each section is dedicated to a set of tests for the evaluation of the effects of
A. G. Cattaneo (*)
Department of Biotechnology and Life Science (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
e-mail: annagiulia.cattaneo@uninsubria.it