Frontiers in Physiology (Sep 2012)

Alternative methods for characterization of extracellular vesicles

  • Fatemeh eMomen-Heravi,
  • Leonora eBalaj,
  • Sara eAlian,
  • John eTigges,
  • Vasilis eToxavidis,
  • Maria eEricsson,
  • Robert J Distel,
  • Alexander R Ivanov,
  • Johan eSkog,
  • Johan eSkog,
  • Winston Patrick Kuo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00354
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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Extracellular vesicles are nano-sized vesicles released by all cells in vitro as well as in vivo. Their role has been implicated mainly in cell-cell communication, but also in disease biomarkers and more recently in gene delivery. They represent a snapshot of the cell status at the moment of release and carry bioreactive macromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins and lipids. A major limitation in this emerging new field is the availability/awareness of techniques to isolate and properly characterize Extracellular vesicles. The lack of gold standards makes comparing different studies very difficult and may potentially hinder some Extracellular vesicles -specific evidence. Characterization of Extracellular vesicles has also recently seen many advances with the use of Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), flow cytometry, cryo-EM instruments and proteomic technologies. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in translational technologies involving characterization methods including the facts in their support and the challenges they face.

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