Extracellular Vesicles: Current Analytical Techniques for Detection and Quantification

TL;DR

This review discusses current methods for detecting and quantifying extracellular vesicles, which are important for communication between cells and have potential in disease diagnosis and treatment.

Contribution

The paper provides a critical analysis of up-to-date analytical techniques for detecting and profiling extracellular vesicles.

Findings

Various analytical techniques are available for detecting extracellular vesicles.

Each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages for EV detection and quantification.

The review aims to guide researchers in selecting appropriate techniques for EV studies.

Abstract

Since their first observation, understanding the biology of extracellular vesicles (EV) has been an important and challenging field of study. They play a key role in the intercellular communication and are involved in important physiological and pathological functions. Therefore, EV are considered as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring the response to treatment in some diseases. In addition, due to their properties, EV may be used for therapeutic purposes. In the study of EV, three major points have to be addressed: 1. How to isolate EV from cell culture supernatant/biological fluids, 2. how to detect them, and 3. how to characterize and quantify. In this review, we focus on the last two questions and provide the main analytical techniques up-to-date for detection and profiling of EV. We critically analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each one, aimed to be of relevance for all researchers working on EV biology and their potential applications.

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