Gretchen J. McAuliffe1, Shivaun D. Archer2, Raymond P. Glahn3, and Michael L. Shuler2. (1) School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, (2) Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 171 Kimball Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, (3) Department of Food Science, Cornell University, U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Laboratory, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853
An in vitro cell culture model of the gastrointestinal tract was used to study nanoparticle transport and to evaluate the effects of nanoparticles on iron uptake and transport. In studies with 50 nm and 200 nm polystyrene carboxylated particles, it was found that particle transport across cell monolayers was size and charge dependent. Preliminary research has shown that polystyrene nanoparticles interfere with iron transport, an important physiological process. Particle size, transport mechanism, and charge are related to the biological interference.