title: Mathematical modeling of molecular diffusion through mucus.
abstract: The rate of molecular transport through the mucus gel can be an important determinant of efficacy for therapeutic agents delivered by oral, intranasal, intravaginal/rectal, and intraocular routes. Transport through mucus can be described by mathematical models based on principles of physical chemistry and known characteristics of the mucus gel, its constituents, and of the drug itself. In this paper, we review mathematical models of molecular diffusion in mucus, as well as the techniques commonly used to measure diffusion of solutes in the mucus gel, mucus gel mimics, and mucosal epithelia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
authors.forename: Yen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cu
authors.forename: W Mark
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Saltzman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances