Adhesive interactions of microspheres composed of a model polymer, poly[bis(π-carboxyphenoxy)propane-co-sebacic anhydride], with the intestinal mucosa of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Particle height, meniscus height, immersed surface area, and directional contact angles, to which the various forces acting on a particle were related, were measured by video microscopy and correlated to the particle diameter. The mucoadhesive force exerted on a particle was dependent on the viscoelastic properties of the mucosa and increased with the particle diameter. For particles with diameters larger than 900 μm, an average mucoadhesive force of 120 μN was calculated. The specific immersed surface decreased with particle diameter and reached a low plateau value of 2.4 × 10-3 μm-1 for diameters larger than 900 μm. © 1991.