title: Elucidating diversity of exosomes: biophysical and molecular characterization methods.
abstract: Exosomes are cell-secreted nanovesicles present in biological fluids in normal and diseased conditions. Owing to their seminal role in cell-cell communication, emerging evidences suggest that exosomes are fundamental regulators of various diseases. Due to their potential usefulness in disease diagnosis, robust isolation and characterization of exosomes is critical in developing exosome-based assays. In the last few years, different exosome characterization methods, both biophysical and molecular, have been developed to characterize these tiny vesicles. Here, in this review we summarize: first, biophysical techniques based on spectroscopy (e.g., Raman spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering) and other principles, for example, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy; second, antibody-based molecular techniques including flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and third, nanotechnology-dependent exosome characterization methodologies.
authors.affiliation: ExoCan Healthcare Technologies Ltd, L4, 400 NCL Innovation Park, Pashan, Pune 411008, India.
authors.forename: Zamila
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khatun
authors.affiliation: ExoCan Healthcare Technologies Ltd, L4, 400 NCL Innovation Park, Pashan, Pune 411008, India.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: California Nanosystems, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Shivani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: ExoCan Healthcare Technologies Ltd, L4, 400 NCL Innovation Park, Pashan, Pune 411008, India.
authors.forename: Aman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005591:Chemical Fractionation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000067493:Dynamic Light Scattering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D055354:Exosomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
keywords: atomic force microscopy; dynamic light scattering; exosomes; nanoparticle tracking analysis; resistive pulse sensing; transmission electron microscopy