Issue 12, 2011
From the journal:

Nanoscale

Mechanism and determinants of nanoparticle penetration through human skin

Hagar I. Labouta,ab   Labiba K. El-Khordagui,b   Tobias Krausc  and  Marc Schneider*a  

* Corresponding authors

a Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
E-mail: marc.schneider@mx.uni-saarland.de
Fax: +0049 681 302 4677
Tel: +0049 681 302 2438

b Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt

c Structure Formation Group, Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM), Saarbrücken, Germany

Abstract

The ability of nanoparticles to penetrate the stratum corneum was the focus of several studies. Yet, there are controversial issues available for particle penetration due to different experimental setups. Meanwhile, there is little known about the mechanism and determinants of their penetration. In this paper the penetration of four model gold nanoparticles of diameter 6 and 15 nm, differing in surface polarity and the nature of the vehicle, through human skin was studied using multiphoton microscopy. This is in an attempt to profoundly investigate the parameters governing particle penetration through human skin. Our results imply that nanoparticles at this size range permeate the stratum corneum in a similar manner to drug molecules, mainly through the intercellular pathways. However, due to their particulate nature, permeation is also dependent on the complex microstructure of the stratum corneum with its tortuous aqueous and lipidic channels, as shown from our experiments performed using skin of different grades of barrier integrity. The vehicle (toluene-versus-water) had a minimal effect on skin penetration of gold nanoparticles. Other considerations in setting up a penetration experiment for nanoparticles were also studied. The results obtained are important for designing a new transdermal carrier and for a basic understanding of skin–nanoparticle interaction.

Graphical abstract: Mechanism and determinants of nanoparticle penetration through human skin

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C1NR11109D
Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 Aug 2011
Accepted
04 Oct 2011
First published
07 Nov 2011

Nanoscale, 2011,3, 4989-4999

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Mechanism and determinants of nanoparticle penetration through human skin

H. I. Labouta, L. K. El-Khordagui, T. Kraus and M. Schneider, Nanoscale, 2011, 3, 4989 DOI: 10.1039/C1NR11109D

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