Background: Direct observation of cell behavior is involved in vivo and ex vivo study. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on isolated rat lung alveolar pneumocyte cells, after severance and determine the amount of no-effect nanoparticles. Methods: In this lab trial study, in addition to determine the viability of isolated cells with Trepan blue, the morphological changes of cells exposed to 1, 6 and 24 hours (hr) with magnesium oxide nanoparticle concentration of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, 500 and 1000µg/ml were evaluated using light microscopy. Results: Trepan blue staining (93%) showed that 93% of live alveolar pneumocytes were isolated. According to the results obtained after separation of cells treated with nanoparticle, with exception of fairly alteration in 1000µg/mL concentration, no any morphological changes in cytoplasm, nucleus and membrane was observed after 1 and 6 hr exposure. When time exposure increased to 24hr, the mild and severe alteration occurred in concentration of 100µg/ml and afterward. The (NOAEL) values for MgO nanoparticle after 6 and 24hr exposure, were determined 1000 and 100µg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: In this study it was shown that magnesium oxide nanoparticles in low concentrations and short exposure time has little effect on lung cells, but the increase in both concentration and duration of exposure to magnesium oxide nanoparticles was enhance morphological cell alteration.

Keywords: Alveolar pneumocytes, Cell isolation, Morphological alteration, MgO nanoparticles

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