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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Salinity-dependent Toxicity Assay of Silver Nanocolloids Using Medaka Eggs
Published on: March 18, 2016
Embryotoxicity and hair cell toxicity of silver nanoparticles in zebrafish embryos
Myung Hoon Yoo1, Yoon Chan Rah1, June Choi1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Objectives:
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate silver nanoparticles (AgNP)-induced embryotoxicity and hair cell toxicity during zebrafish development.
Methods:
We exposed zebrafish embryos to various AgNP concentrations (30, 60, 120, and 240nM) and evaluated embryotoxicity at 72h and ototoxicity at 120h. Embryotoxicity parameters including abnormal morphology, mortality, hatching rate, and heart rate were investigated. Hair cells within four neuromasts were evaluated. In the present study, the average number of hair cells of zebrafish exposed to AgNP was compared with that of an unexposed control group.
Results:
The hatching rate was not significantly different between groups (control: 90%; AgNP 240nM: 89%). The control group showed 2% mortality and 0% teratogenicity, while the AgNP 240nM group showed increased mortality (11%) and teratogenicity (15%) at 72h (n=100). The heart rate of AgNP-exposed embryos tended to be lower than that of the control group (n=38). Furthermore, AgNP induced apoptotic hair cell damage in the neuromasts (control: 50.7±7.4 cells; 240nM AgNP: 41.1±6.3 cells, n=23). TUNEL positive cell counts increased significantly as AgNP concentration increases (p<0.001, n=20 in each group).
Conclusions:
The results of this study indicate that AgNP exposure causes embryotoxicity and hair cell toxicity in zebrafish embryos.
