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Anatomical models to study aerosol delivery impose huge limitations and extrapolation to humans remains controversial. This study aimed to develop and validate an ex vivo human-like respiratory tract model easy to use and relevant to compare to in vivo human data.
A human plastinated head is connected to an ex vivo porcine pulmonary tract ventilated artificially by passive expansion. Scintigraphy with 81m Krypton assesses the homogeneity of the ventilation. The scintigraphy performed on 16 ex vivo models Ratio of the peripheral to central count rates were equally correlated with human data published in the literature. This new model, combining research feasibility and human physiology likeness, provides a realistic approach to human inhalation and therefore can be an interesting tool in aerosol regional deposition studies.
Inhalation is the main route of environmental particle exposure. It also represents an attractive pathway for local medications, such as bronchial diseases treatments, chemotherapy 1 , antibiotics 2 , and systemic medications, such as vaccinations, insulin therapy, and gene therapy 3. To relate airborne particle exposure to wanted or unwanted biological effects, it is essential to assess regional deposition within the respiratory tract.
Identification of deposition sites is a major determinant of particle bio-persistence, dose in tissues, and resultant biological effects. Computational models allow calculation of inhalation dosimetry of particles 4 , 5 , but there is an experimental data gap for critical parameters submicron-sized particles, specific anatomical features.
