Polymer-Based Purification of Extracellular Vesicles

Abstract

Lipid particles, including exosomes (extracellular vesicles [EVs]), are released from cells in vivo and in vitro. The contents of these EVs can be indicative of disease and therefore be utilized in diagnostic biophysical or biochemical assays. To make use of EVs in this way, methods for purification and quantification are required which vary depending on their particles origin and concentration. This chapter provides an overview of EV purification techniques and provides detailed instructions on the purification of EVs by polymer based precipitation and subsequent quantification. The subsequent quantification and characterization of these EVs also presents a challenge, as limited methods are capable of detecting EVs due to their small size.