ISOLATION OF EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES - ADVANTAGES AND DISADVATAGES

Extracellular vesicles are nanometer biological structures released from almost all cells in physiological and pathological conditions. They transport numerous active molecules (proteins, lipids, DNA and RNA) and represent a major mode of intercellular communication. Due to their functionality and the possibility of practical use as diagnostic markers of many diseases, they rapidly became an inspiration for the scientific community. Small size and structure of extracellular vesicles make difficult to find universal method of their isolation. Lack of standardization of present methods lead to explore new and universal techniques. This article is an overview of previously known and widely used methods of extracellular vesicles isolations, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, individual types of vesicles were defined, indicating their biological importance and diagnostic application.