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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Models and Methods to Evaluate Transport of Drug Delivery Systems Across Cellular Barriers
Published on: October 17, 2013
Intracellular transport of nanocarriers across the intestinal epithelium
Weiwei Fan1, Dengning Xia1, Quanlei Zhu1
1Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
Abstract:
The intestinal epithelium is the main barrier restricting the oral delivery of low-permeability drugs. Over recent years, numerous nanocarriers have been designed to improve the efficiency of oral drug delivery. However, the intracellular processes determining the transport of nanocarriers across the intestinal epithelium remain elusive, and only limited enhancement of the oral bioavailability of drugs has been achieved. Here, we review the processes involved in nanocarrier trafficking across the intestinal epithelium, including apical endocytosis, intracellular transport, and basolateral exocytosis. Understanding the complex intracellular processes of nanocarrier trafficking is particularly essential for the rational design of oral drug delivery systems.
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