Small scale electrostatically-driven aerosol deposition in <i>airway-on-chip</i> models of bronchial constriction.

ABSTRACT: Obstructive pulmonary diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are widespread and represent a major global health burden. Despite their impact, effective therapeutic delivery to the small airways using inhaled aerosols remains suboptimal. In this study, we present a novel in vitro airway-on-chip platform that mimics both normal and constricted small bronchial geometries to quantify the deposition charged and neutral polystyrene latex aerosol particles ranging from 0.2 to 2 µm. Analytical and numerical solutions were derived from dimensionless scaling laws to further support the experiments and predict deposition location. Our experiments showcase how electrostatic forces significantly alter deposition patterns across particle sizes in these small airways.

SUBMITTER: Bessler R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12482922 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature