title: Developing accurate models of the human airways.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Particle delivery to the airways is an attractive prospect for many potential therapeutics, including vaccines. Developing strategies for inhalation of particles provides a targeted, controlled and non-invasive delivery route but, as with all novel therapeutics, in vitro and in vivo testing are needed prior to clinical use. Whilst advanced vaccine testing demands the use of animal models to address safety issues, the production of robust in vitro cellular models would take account of the ethical framework known as the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal use), by permitting initial screening of potential candidates prior to animal use. There is thus a need for relevant, realistic in vitro models of the human airways.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our laboratory has designed and characterised a multi-cellular model of human airways that takes account of the conditions in the airways and recapitulates many salient features, including the epithelial barrier and mucus secretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our human pulmonary models recreate many of the obstacles to successful pulmonary delivery of particles and therefore represent a valid test platform for screening compounds and delivery systems.
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Lindsay J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oguejiofor
authors.forename: Rachel S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Willetts
authors.forename: Helen R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Devitt
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D023421:Models, Animal; D008954:Models, Biological; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: cellular drug uptake and absorption; drug delivery to specific tissues