# Microfluidics for detection of exosomes and microRNAs in cancer: State of the art

## TL;DR

This review discusses how microfluidics can improve the detection of exosomes and microRNAs in cancer, offering faster and more efficient diagnostic tools.

## Contribution

The paper reviews recent advances in microfluidics for exosome and microRNA detection, focusing on their potential for clinical applications.

## Key findings

- Microfluidics devices offer improved efficiency in isolating exosomes and microRNAs from small sample volumes.
- These devices can enhance the detection and monitoring of cancer-related biomarkers in body fluids.
- Microfluidics holds promise for developing point-of-care diagnostic tools for cancer.

## Abstract

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles with sizes ranging from 30–150 nanometers that contain proteins, lipids, mRNAs, microRNAs, and double-stranded DNA derived from the cells of origin. Exosomes can be taken up by target cells, acting as a means of cell-to-cell communication. The discovery of these vesicles in body fluids and their participation in cell communication has led to major breakthroughs in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of several conditions (e.g., cancer). However, conventional isolation and evaluation of exosomes and their microRNA content suffers from high cost, lengthy processes, difficult standardization, low purity, and poor yield. The emergence of microfluidics devices with increased efficiency in sieving, trapping, and immunological separation of small volumes could provide improved detection and monitoring of exosomes involved in cancer. Microfluidics techniques hold promise for advances in development of diagnostic and prognostic devices. This review covers ongoing research on microfluidics devices for detection of microRNAs and exosomes as biomarkers and their translation to point-of-care and clinical applications.

The emergence of microfluidics devices with increased efficiency in sieving, trapping, and immunological separation of small volumes could provide improved detection and monitoring of exosomes and micoRNAs involved in cancer.