Filtration-based technologies for isolation, purification and analysis of extracellular vesicles

The involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cellular communication with multifactorial and multifaceted biological activity has generated significant interest, highlighting their potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications. EVs are found in nearly all biological fluids creating a broad spectrum of where potential disease markers can be found for liquid biopsy development and what subtypes can be used for treatment of diseases. Complexity of biological fluids has generated a variety of different approaches for EV isolation and identification that may in one way or another be most optimal for research studies or clinical use. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, significance of which can be evaluated depending on the end goal of the study. One of the methods is based on filtration which has received attention in the past years due its versatility, low cost and other advantages. Introduction of different approaches for EV capture and analysis that are based on filtration gave rise to new subcategories of filtration techniques which are presented in this overview. Miniaturization and combination of filtration-based approaches with microfluidics is also highlighted due its future prospects in healthcare, especially point-of-need technologies. Isolation, purification and analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by using low cost, versatile, easy to use and compatible with different biofluids filtration-based technologies for industrial, medical and research applications.

Automated summary

The involvement of EVs in cellular communication has attracted significant interest due to their potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications. EVs can be found in various biological fluids, making them ideal for liquid biopsy development and disease treatment. Different approaches for EV isolation and identification have been developed, with filtration-based techniques receiving attention for their versatility and low cost. The combination of filtration and microfluidics holds promise for future healthcare applications.