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Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Models and Methods to Evaluate Transport of Drug Delivery Systems Across Cellular Barriers
Published on: October 17, 2013
Advances in the transepithelial transport of nanoparticles
Miaorong Yu1, Yiwei Yang1, Chunliu Zhu2
1Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, NO.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
The intestinal epithelium represents a barrier to the delivery of nanoparticles (NPs). It prevents intact NPs from efficiently crossing the mucosa to access the circulation, thus limiting the successful application of NP-based oral drug delivery. Recent advances in nanotechnology have provided promising solutions to this challenge. This review describes the potential intestinal absorption pathways of NPs, including the transenterocytic pathway, paracellular pathway and M-cell-mediated pathway. NP properties that influence transcytosis are summarized; and the biodistribution of NPs after oral absorption is described and the future prospects of novel NPs are explored.
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