The interaction between aerosols and the human body can be both adverse, such as exposure to particulate matter (PM10), and therapeutic, when used in the drug delivery to the lung. In both cases, a deeper understanding of the fundamental cell-particle interaction as a function of both particle composition and cell type will lead to improvements to overall human population health. Previously, we have demonstrated the ability to design and produce particles of known chemical composition and size, levitate them in air, dose them onto a cell culture in a way that mimics the particle-cell interaction experienced in the lung, and monitor the downstream biological response.1,2,3,4 To be presented will be an overview of the operation and potential of this technology, the utility of which will be demonstrated by addressing the role of endotoxin in the adverse health effects experienced by PM10 exposure.
