Interaction between drug delivery vehicles and cells under the effect of shear stress

Over the last decades, researchers have developed an ever greater and more ingenious variety of drug delivery vehicles (DDVs). This has made it possible to encapsulate a wide selection of therapeutic agents, ranging from proteins, enzymes, and peptides to hydrophilic and hydrophobic small drugs while, at the same time, allowing for drug release to be triggered through a diverse range of physical and chemical cues.

While these advances are impressive, the field has been lacking behind in translating these systems into the clinic, mainly due to low predictability of in vitro and rodent in vivo models. An important factor within the complex and dynamic human in vivo environment is the shear flow observed within our circulatory system and many other tissues.

Within this review, recent advances to leverage microfluidic devices to better mimic these conditions through novel in vitro assays are summarized. By grouping the discussion in three prominent classes of DDVs (lipidic and polymeric particles as well as inorganic nanoparticles), we hope to guide researchers within drug delivery into this exciting field and advance a further implementation of these assay systems within the development of DDVs.