Comparison of separation methods for tissue‐derived extracellular vesicles in the liver, heart, and skeletal muscle. Issue 2 (29th January 2021) - Matejovič, Adam
Abstract : Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanosized vesicles released by cells as intracellular messengers, have high potential as biomarkers. EVs are usually collected from in vitro sources, such as cell culture media or biofluids, and not from tissues. Techniques enabling direct collection of EVs from tissues will extend the applications of EVs. We compared methods for separating EVs from solid liver, heart, and skeletal muscle. Compared with a precipitation method, an ultracentrifugation‐based method for collection of EVs from solid tissues yielded a higher proportion of EVs positive for EV‐related markers, with minimum levels of intracellular organelle‐related markers. Some tissue‐specific modifications, such as a sucrose cushion step, may improve the yield and purity of the collected EVs. Abstract : Extracellular vesicle (EV)‐related research is mostly focused on cell culture and biofluids. Recently published studies reported the collection of EVs from a single tissue type. We compared several separation methods and collected vesicles from three different types of solid tissue—liver, skeletal muscle, and heart. EV characterization followed the criteria of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV).