Nanoparticle uptake by the oral route: Fulfilling its potential?

The absorption of nanoparticles from the gastrointestinal tract is discussed first from a recent historical perspective, emphasising the crucial parameters that influence uptake, such as particle diameter, the nature of the particle and any surface modification with ligands designed to interact with receptors to facilitate targeting to and uptake into cells. Post-absorptive events, including translocation processes, are suggested here to be as important as initial uptake into the epithelial cells or M-cells of the gut associated lymphoid tissue.: