ArticleBiophysical journal2001
Diffusion of macromolecules and virus-like particles in human cervical mucus.
Article in Biophysical journal, 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 197 papers.
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Who cites it
197 citing papers in PubMed.
- Mucins and Respiratory Virus Infection.Annual review of virology · 2026Review
- An Inverse Transwell Assay for Airway Mucus Barrier Function Reveals both Virus- and Mucin-Specific Impacts on Infection.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Hybrid Mucointeractive Delivery Systems-Alternative Approaches to Mucosal Delivery.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Troxipide nanosuspensions prevent indomethacin‑induced gastrointestinal lesions in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.Journal of pharmaceutical health care and sciences · 2026Article
- Elasticity promotes directional transport ofSoft matter · 2026Article
- Development and evaluation of an inhalable nanoemulsion system for enhancing NK cell function against osteosarcoma pulmonary metastases.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Mucosal Wound Repair: Reinforcement of Respiratory Mucus Barrier Function by Inorganic Polyphosphate.Progress in molecular and subcellular biology · 2026Review
- Mitigating Mucoadhesion of β-Cyclodextrins via PEGylation: Insights fromInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Porcine airway tissue explant culture at a hydrogel-air interface to model submucosal glands in cystic fibrosis progression and therapy.Science advances · 2025Article
- Current Status and Future Prospects on Nanodelivery Systems Targeting the Small Intestine for Absorption of Bioactive Substances.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Recent development of micro-nano carriers for oral antineoplastic drug delivery.Materials today. Bio · 2025Review
- Mucoadhesive-to-Mucopenetrating Nanoparticles for Mucosal Drug Delivery: A Mini Review.International journal of nanomedicine · 2025Review
- Investigating the impact of charge and hydrophilicity on peptide-mucin interactions using a simple mucin model.AAPS open · 2025Article
- Targeted delivery of flagellin by nebulization offers optimized respiratory immunity and defense against pneumococcal pneumonia.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2024Article
- Transformative Impact of Nanocarrier-Mediated Drug Delivery: Overcoming Biological Barriers and Expanding Therapeutic Horizons.Small science · 2024Article
- Article
- Porcine ex-vivo intestinal mucus has age-dependent blocking activity against transmissible gastroenteritis virus.Veterinary research · 2024Article
- Liposomal Drug Delivery againstPharmaceutics · 2024Article
- Protective Mechanisms of Vaginal Lactobacilli against Sexually Transmitted Viral Infections.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Microbicidal Polymer Nanoparticles Containing Clotrimazole for Treatment of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.AAPS PharmSciTech · 2024Article
137 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
To determine whether or not large macromolecules and viruses can diffuse through mucus, we observed the motion of proteins, microspheres, and viruses in fresh samples of human cervical mucus using fluorescent recovery after photobleaching and multiple image photography. Two capsid virus-like particles, human papilloma virus (55 nm, approximately 20,000 kDa) and Norwalk virus (38 nm, approximately 10,000 kDa), as well as most of the globular proteins tested (15-650 kDa) diffused as rapidly in mucus as in saline. Electron microscopy of cervical mucus confirmed that the mesh spacing between mucin fibers is large enough (20-200 nm) for small viruses to diffuse essentially unhindered through mucus. In contrast, herpes simplex virus (180 nm) colocalized with strands of thick mucus, suggesting that herpes simplex virus, unlike the capsid virus particles, makes low-affinity bonds with mucins. Polystyrene microspheres (59-1000 nm) bound more tightly to mucins, bundling them into thick cables. Although immunoglobulins are too small to be slowed by the mesh spacing between mucins, diffusion by IgM was slowed by mucus. Diffusion by IgM-Fc(5 mu), the Fc pentamer core of an IgM with all 10 Fab moieties removed, was comparably slowed by mucus. This suggests that the Fc moieties of antibodies make low-affinity bonds with mucins.
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Registered trials
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