Fig. 6.

Impact of CuO NMs and CuSO₄ on co-culture viability (cell number) and morphology. The Caco-2/Raji B and Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-cultures were exposed to cell culture medium (control, 0) or 6.34 Cu µg/cm² CuO NMs or CuSO₄ for 24 h (a). The cells were then fixed, stained with Rapid Romanowisky stain and visualised using light microscopy (magnification ×40, scale bar = 20 µm). To evaluate cell number Caco-2/Raji B and Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-cultures were treated with 6.34 and 12.68 Cu µg/cm² of CuO NMs and CuSO₄, fixed and the nucleus stained with DAPI (b, c). Images obtained with Zeiss fluorescent Microscope, Carl Zeiss Axio Scope A 1 Upright Research Microscope (magnification ×40, scale bar = 10 µm). Representative images are shown (n = 3). d, e Caco-2/Raji B and Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-cultures nuclei were counted using Image J software. Data are presented as the number of nuclei (expressed as % of the unexposed control) ± SEM (n = 3)