Fig. 4
From: The micro(nano)plastics perspective: exploring cancer development and therapy
Optimization of nanoplastics carriers. (A) Microplastics may be phagocytosed and target blood vessel walls, while nanoplastics may penetrate blood vessels. (B) Nanoplastics can be formulated into a variety of shapes to target specific cell populations. (C) Functional groups on nanoplastics can be conjugated with targeting ligands or stealth polymeric chains. In addition, the nanoplastics can be positively or negatively charged. (D) The stiffness of the nanoplastics can be varied to selectively target specific tumor cells in the bloodstream. Soft particles are better suited for distribution along the edge of the endothelium in the bloodstream than stiff particles. RBC, red blood cell; PEG, polyethylene glycol