The Phenomenon of Persorption: Persorption, Dissemination, and Elimination of Microparticles

Solid microparticles, whose diameter lies far in the micrometer range (μm), such as pollen, spores, starch-granules, cellulose particles, silicates, crystals, diatoms, soot particles and other natural and industrial dusts are regularly incorporated in a noteworthy quantity in the alimentary tract. Their paracellular translocation through transitory leaks in the epithelial cell layer has been confirmed. Mechanical factors play an important role here: The solidity of the microparticles, the constantly hammering vascular pulsation communicated to the mucosa and the motility of the muscularis propria and muscularis mucosae are causal factors for the loosening of tight junctions and for the appearance of leaks in the epithelial cell layer. The microparticles are transported from the sub-epithelial region through lymph tracts via the thoracic duct but also through veins and disseminated with the blood stream. They are to be found in the peripheral blood already within a few minutes of peroral application. There are numerous ways in which the microparticles can be eliminated from the blood stream. Their passage into the alveolar lumen, bile, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, peritoneal cavity, through the lactating mamma into the milk and also the transplacental transfer to the foetal blood circulation has been observed. Numerous ready-to-serve foods contain large quantities of solid microparticles capable of persorption.