Microfluidic-enabled liposomes elucidate size-dependent transdermal transport

• Published in: PloS one 2014-03, Vol.9 (3), p.e92978
• Main Authors: Hood, Renee R, Kendall, Eric L, Junqueira, Mariana, Vreeland, Wyatt N, Quezado, Zenaide, Finkel, Julia C, DeVoe, Don L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Cutaneous; Anesthesiology; Animals; Bioengineering; Biological Transport; Biology and Life Sciences; Children & youth; Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems; Drugs; Engineering and Technology; Fluorescence; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Lipids; Liposomes; Liposomes - administration & dosage; Liposomes - chemistry; Liposomes - pharmacokinetics; Mechanical engineering; Medicine and Health Sciences; Microfluidics; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Permeability; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Quantum dots; Research and Analysis Methods; Skin; Skin - metabolism; Skin Absorption; Stratum corneum; Studies; Surfactants; Swine; Time Factors; Transdermal medication; Transport; Vehicles
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092978

Microfluidic synthesis of small and nearly-monodisperse liposomes is used to investigate the size-dependent passive transdermal transport of nanoscale lipid vesicles. While large liposomes with diameters above 105 nm are found to be excluded from deeper skin layers past the stratum corneum, the primary barrier to nanoparticle transport, liposomes with mean diameters between 31-41 nm exhibit significantly enhanced penetration. Furthermore, multicolor fluorescence imaging reveals that the smaller liposomes pass rapidly through the stratum corneum without vesicle rupture. These findings reveal that nanoscale liposomes with well-controlled size and minimal size variance are excellent vehicles for transdermal delivery of functional nanoparticle drugs.