1. Ratchet effect for nanoparticle transport in hair follicles
- Author
-
Alexa Patzelt, Roland R. Netz, Fanny Knorr, Jürgen Lademann, and Matthias Radtke
- Subjects
Follicle ,Materials science ,Quantitative Biology::Tissues and Organs ,Ratchet ,Flow (psychology) ,Analytical chemistry ,Transport ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Nanoparticle ,02 engineering and technology ,Ratchet effect ,Thermal diffusivity ,Molecular physics ,Quantitative Biology::Subcellular Processes ,Motion ,General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology ,030207 dermatology & venereal diseases ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,otorhinolaryngologic diseases ,medicine ,Humans ,Computer Simulation ,Particle Size ,Diffusion (business) ,500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik::530 Physik::539 Moderne Physik ,integumentary system ,General Medicine ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Hair follicle ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Models, Chemical ,Nanocarrier ,Brownian dynamics ,Nanoparticles ,sense organs ,0210 nano-technology ,Hair Follicle ,Hair ,Biotechnology - Abstract
The motion of a single rigid nanoparticle inside a hair follicle is investigated by means of Brownian dynamics simulations. The cuticular hair structure is modeled as a periodic asymmetric ratchet-shaped surface. Induced by oscillating radial hair motion we find directed nanoparticle transport into the hair follicle with maximal velocity at a specific optimal frequency and an optimal particle size. We observe flow reversal when switching from radial to axial oscillatory hair motion. We also study the diffusion behavior and find strongly enhanced diffusion for axial motion with a diffusivity significantly larger than for free diffusion.
- Published
- 2017