[Hamster's cheek pouches as a model for investigation of the oral mucosa permeability]

The technique of permeability assessment for high-molecular compounds is presented in present work. Isolated hamster cheek pouches as a simple and convenient model for the transport studies were used. It was shown that a mucous membrane is permeable for alpha-interferon, insulin but not for nucleic acids and peroxidase. Buccal permeability for insulin is provided by its transport through the intercellular ways. Data obtained in experiments with use of rodent keratinized mucous membrane could not be directly extrapolated to human buccal mucous permeability due to significant differences in the nature and organization of intercellular lipids in these species. However, we supposed that freshly isolated hamster cheek pouch could be employed as initial step of assessment for the fast screening of buccal permeability for the high-molecular compounds.