Mucus
is a complex hydrogel that acts as a protective barrier in
various parts of the human body. Both composition and structural properties
play a crucial role in maintaining barrier properties while dictating
diffusion of molecules and (nano)materials. In this study, we compare
previously described mucus surrogates with the native human airway
and pig intestinal mucus. Oscillatory shear rheology was applied to
characterize mucus on the bulk macrorheological level, revealing that
the artificial airway surrogate deviates from the elastic-dominant
behavior of native mucus samples. We circumvented this limitation
through the addition of a cross-linking polymer to the surrogate,
adjusting the rheological properties closer to those of native mucus.
Applying particle tracking microrheology, we further demonstrated
that the mechanical properties at the microscale differ significantly
between artificial and native mucus. We conclude that proper characterization
of mucus and its surrogates is vital for a reliable investigation
of nanoparticle-based mucosal drug delivery.
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