Intracellular transport of nanocarriers across the intestinal epithelium.
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.
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
Weiwei
W
Fan
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
Dengning
D
Xia
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
Quanlei
Q
Zhu
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Nano Science and Technology Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Lei
L
Hu
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: simm2122@vip.sina.com.
Yong
Y
Gan
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D004337:Drug Carriers