Table 2 Histological evaluation of nephrotoxicity following PE-MPs administration.

From: Polyethylene microplastics disrupt renal function, mitochondrial bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and histoarchitecture in Wistar rats

Lesion type

CNT (control)

15 mg/kg PE-MPs

60 mg/kg PE-MPs

Glomerular changes (shrinkage, atrophy, sclerosis)

0 (normal glomeruli, intact Bowman’s spaces)

1 (mild glomerular shrinkage)

3 (pronounced atrophy, collapsed glomeruli)

Tubular alterations (degeneration, dilation, swelling)

0 (normal tubules)

1–2 (tubular epithelial cell swelling, mild degeneration)

3 (severe tubular degeneration and architectural distortion)

Interstitial inflammation (immune cell infiltration, edema)

0 (no infiltration)

1 (occasional inflammatory cells)

2–3 (dense inflammatory infiltrates, interstitial expansion)

Overall nephrotoxicity score

0 (no damage)

1.5 (mild-to-moderate nephrotoxicity)

3 (severe nephrotoxicity)

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