Interaction of mucin and stimuli-responsive gels at interfaces

Intranasal drug delivery offers a promising alternative with advantages like improved patient compliance, enhanced bioavailability, and reduced systemic side effects. However, a key challenge lies in finding materials with strong mucoadhesive properties to overcome mucociliary clearance, a defense mechanism in the respiratory system. Establishing robust interactions between drug carriers and mucin, facilitated by mechanisms like electrostatic attractions, van der Waals forces, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and chain entanglement, is crucial. Our proposal focuses on assessing stimuli-responsive gels and their interplay with the mucin layer using neutron reflectometry, enabling a comprehensive exploration of these interactions.