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Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Determination of the Transport Rate of Xenobiotics and Nanomaterials Across the Placenta using the ex vivo Human Placental Perfusion Model
Published on: June 18, 2013
Transporters and xenobiotic disposition
1Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 572 RRB1, 23rd Avenue at Pierce Avenue, Nashville, TN 37323-6602, USA. richard.kim@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Drug transporters significantly impact how the body processes medications, influencing drug absorption, distribution, and excretion. Understanding these carrier-mediated processes alongside drug metabolism is crucial for predicting drug effects in patients.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Drug Metabolism and Transport
Background:
- Drug disposition and response exhibit significant intersubject variability.
- Metabolism alone is insufficient to explain these variations.
- Carrier-mediated transport processes play a critical role in drug disposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of drug transporters in drug disposition.
- To highlight the importance of considering transport alongside metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of drug transporter function.
- Analysis of the interplay between drug transport and metabolism.
Main Results:
- Drug transporters are integral to drug absorption, distribution, and excretion.
- Intersubject variability in drug response is influenced by transporter activity.
Conclusions:
- A combined understanding of drug transport and metabolism is essential for accurate in vivo drug disposition prediction.
- Drug transporters are key determinants of therapeutic outcomes and drug safety.
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