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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
08:44
Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Published on: March 2, 2020
Microparticulate polyelectrolyte complexes for gentamicin transport across intestinal epithelia
Valentina Iannuccelli1, Monica Montanari, Davide Bertelli
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. valentina.iannuccelli@unimore.it
Drug Delivery
|August 24, 2010
Summary
Alginate/chitosan microparticles enhance gentamicin oral absorption by crossing intestinal epithelia. M cell endocytosis facilitates transport to deeper tissues, improving drug delivery potential.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Pharmaceutics
- Drug Delivery
Background:
- Oral administration of gentamicin is limited by poor absorption.
- Polysaccharide microparticles offer a potential strategy to improve drug bioavailability.
- Targeting intestinal epithelia for drug transport is crucial for enhanced absorption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop alginate/chitosan microparticles for oral gentamicin delivery.
- To evaluate the transport of these microparticles across intestinal epithelia.
- To investigate the role of M cells and enterocytes in microparticle uptake and translocation.
Main Methods:
- Spray-drying technique to formulate alginate/chitosan microparticles encapsulating gentamicin.
- Optimization of cross-linker concentrations (calcium ions and chitosan) for microparticle formulation.
- Ex vivo intestinal perfusion models (rabbit and rat) and in vitro Caco-2 cell monolayers to assess epithelial transport.
Main Results:
- Developed ~2 μm alginate/chitosan microparticles capable of carrying gentamicin.
- Demonstrated microparticle uptake by both M cells in Peyer's patches and enterocytes.
- Confirmed that M cell endocytosis is the primary pathway for sub-epithelial transport.
Conclusions:
- Alginate/chitosan microparticles show promise for enhancing oral gentamicin absorption.
- M cell-mediated endocytosis is a key mechanism for transcytosis of these microparticles.
- The developed microparticulate system offers a viable strategy for improving oral drug delivery.
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