Downstream processes that occur in AT1s following the exposure to microplastics in context to ambient air pollution

本研究的目的是更好地了解在环境空气污染的背景下，AT 1在暴露于微塑料后发生的下游过程。本研究将有三个独立的目标，从不同的角度解决这一目标，以概述细胞对空气污染的反应。目标如下1.研究微塑料单独或作为混合物的一部分进入肺泡上皮细胞的机制; 2.检查AT 1细胞的转录组、代谢组和蛋白质组，在暴露微塑料独立地或作为混合物的一部分进入肺泡上皮细胞之后; 3.建立代表肺部微环境的3D细胞模型，并将其单独暴露于微塑料，并作为混合物（与PM2.5）的一部分，以确定细胞如何反应。

The aim is to better understand the downstream processes that occur in AT1s following the exposure to microplastics in context to ambient air pollution.This study will have three separate aims that will tackle this objective from different angles to provide an overview of the cellular responses to airborne pollution. The aims are the following 1. Investigate the mechanisms by which microplastics independently or as a part of the mixture enter the alveolar epithelial cells; 2. Examine the transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome of AT1 cells following to the exposure microplastics independently or as a part of the mixture enter the alveolar epithelial cells and 3. (potentially) Set up 3D cell model that represents the lung microenvironment and expose it to microplastics independently and as a part of mixture (with PM2.5) to determine how cells respond.