Cell Culture Models for Drug Transport Studies

This chapter provides an overview of cell culture models that may be used to predict drug transport across relevant biological barriers. General considerations regarding the utility of such a model are discussed, followed by a brief description of physiological cell barrier properties and cell culture models that have been utilized or proposed to understand mechanisms of drug transport in the intestinal epithelium, the blood-brain barrier (BBB), nasal and pulmonary epithelium, ocular epithelial and endothelial barriers, the placenta, and renal epithelium. To date, a number of in vitro models of the intestinal epithelium have been investigated, all of which may possess different characteristics and, thus, have different potential applications in the study of drug transport. The chapter introduces primary cell models, and discusses some of the advantages and limitations of certain cell line models.