Figure 1.

Experimental design. MucilAir™ was kept in culture for one week before exposure to tungsten nanoparticles (W-NPs), tungsten carbide cobalt particles alloy (WC-Co) and WO₄²⁻. After treatment (24 h), uninternalized W was removed and cells were further cultured for 28 days. During this time several parameters were evaluated at regular intervals to monitor W toxicity, its internalization and intracellular localization, as well as its translocation from the apical to the basolateral compartment.