Atomic force microscopy analysis of extracellular vesicles

Parisse, P
Rago, I
Ulloa Severino, L
Perissinotto, F
Ambrosetti, E
PAOLETTI, PATRIZIA
Ricci, M
Beltrami, A P
Cesselli, D
Casalis, L

Open link

Publication date

January 2017

DOI

10.1007/s00249-017-1252-4

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles ensuring transport of molecules between cells and throughout the body. EVs contain cell type-specific signatures and have been proposed as biomarkers in a variety of diseases. Their small size (<1 μm) and biological and physical functions make them obvious candidates for therapeutic agents in immune therapy, vaccination, regenerative medicine and drug delivery. However, due to the complexity and heterogeneity of their origin and composition, the actual mechanism through which these vesicles exert their functions is still unknown and represents a great biomedical challenge. Moreover, because of their small dimensions, the quantification, size distribution and biophysical characterization of the...