ArticlePharmaceutical research2008
Role of particle size in phagocytosis of polymeric microspheres.
Article in Pharmaceutical research, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 322 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
322 citing papers in PubMed, 874 citations in OpenAlex.
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262 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposePolymeric microspheres are extensively researched for applications in drug and vaccine delivery. However, upon administration into the body, microspheres are primarily cleared via phagocytosis by macrophages. Although numerous studies have reported on the biochemical pathways of phagocytosis, relatively little is known about the dependence of phagocytosis on particle size. Here, we investigate the previously unexplained dependence of phagocytosis on particle size.
methodsRat alveolar macrophages and IgG-opsonized and non-opsonized polystyrene microspheres were used as model macrophages and drug delivery particles. Phagocytosis, attachment and internalization were measured by flow cytometry and time-lapse video microscopy.
resultsParticles possessing diameters of 2-3 microm exhibited maximal phagocytosis and attachment. Rate of internalization, however, was not affected significantly by particle size. Maximal attachment of 2-3 microm microspheres is hypothesized to originate from the characteristic features of membrane ruffles in macrophages. Elimination of ruffles via osmotic swelling nearly eliminated the peculiar size-dependence of phagocytosis. A simple mathematical model is presented to describe the dependence of phagocytosis on particle size.
conclusionsThe dependence of phagocytosis on particle size originated primarily from the attachment step. These results reveal the importance of controlling drug delivery particle size distribution and selecting the size appropriate for avoiding or encouraging phagocytosis.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.