It's still early days, but this technology is a hopeful step.
  • ACbHrhMJ@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 day ago

    Sure you could filter them out of the blood but don’t they get embedded in regular cells too?

    • Khanzarate@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 day ago

      Regular cells die or split regularly. When they die, white blood cells eat them, and they’ll be part of filtering the blood.

      Neurons don’t though. There’s still some concerns.

      • Kalothar@lemmy.caEnglish
        2·
        1 day ago

        Neurons die and replicate on a longer time frame, something like 7+ years, so I guess it’s just the long game with those ones

        • Khanzarate@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 day ago

          A lot of our neurons are with us for our whole life. Early neuron degeneration is what causes Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and similar disorders.

          Not all neurons last a lifetime, and there are kinds that die off and are replaced, but a good chunk of them aren’t meant to replicate anymore and so won’t be freed of microplastics by bloodletting, and would cause serious problems if microplastics harm their normal processes.