AUTHOR=Momen-Heravi Fatemeh , Balaj Leonora , Alian Sara , Tigges John , Toxavidis Vasilis , Ericsson Maria , Distel Robert J., Ivanov Alexander R., Skog Johan , Kuo Winston P.

TITLE=Alternative Methods for Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 3 - 2012

YEAR=2012

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2012.00354

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2012.00354

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=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.