Lab-on-Chip for Exosomes and Microvesicles Detection and Characterization

Abstract

Interest in extracellular vesicles and in particular microvesicles and exosomes, which are constitutively produced by cells, is on the rise for their huge potential as biomarkers in a high number of disorders and pathologies as they are considered as carriers of information among cells, as well as being responsible for the spreading of diseases. Current methods of analysis of microvesicles and exosomes do not fulfill the requirements for their in-depth investigation and the complete exploitation of their diagnostic and prognostic value. Lab-on-chip methods have the potential and capabilities to bridge this gap and the technology is mature enough to provide all the necessary steps for a completely automated analysis of extracellular vesicles in body fluids. In this paper we provide an overview of the biological role of extracellular vesicles, standard biochemical methods of analysis and their limits, and a survey of lab-on-chip methods that are able to meet the needs of a deeper exploitation of these biological entities to drive their use in common clinical practice.

Urine biopsy technologies: Cancer and beyond

“…A microfluidic system that combines the isolation, characterization, and quantification steps into a single platform is essential to POC applications 127 . In recent studies, an integrated microfluidic device was used to carry out isolation, enrichment and quantification of urinary cells and EVs from BC patients simultaneously, through a double-filtration approach (pore size of 200 nm and 30 nm) 43 .…”

Engineering of Exosomes to Target Cancer Metastasis

“…19 Similar to the macroscale immunoaffinity-based method for exosome isolation, antibodies can also be immobilized to the surface of the channels in microfluidic devices for microscale isolation of exosomes. 17 Multiple groups have described approaches that incorporate microfluidics and immunoaffinity to isolate exosomes and microvesicles, highlighting quantitative and high-throughput analy-ses of exosome contents. 19 Membrane filters can also be incorporated in microfluidic devices to filter exosomes and other EVs.…”

Recent Advances in Microfluidic Platforms Applied in Cancer Metastasis: Circulating Tumor Cells' (CTCs) Isolation and Tumor‐On‐A‐Chip

“…Released by apoptotic and necrotic tumor cells, ctDNA can be separated from the plasma with simple operations . Exosomes refer to heterogeneous phospholipid cell‐derived nanovescicles (size = 30–100 nm) that include a molecular cargo of growth factors, cytosolic proteins, DNA, RNA, cytokines, and microRNA (miRNA) . In order to improve the knowledge of tumor heterogeneity and develop personalized cancer therapies, it will be promising to detect and isolate CTCs, ctDNA, and exosomes simultaneously by advanced microfluidic platforms for liquid biopsy.…”