Cutting-Edge Analysis of Extracellular Microparticles using ImageStreamX Imaging Flow Cytometry

Interest in extracellular vesicle biology has exploded in the past decade, since these microstructures seem endowed with multiple roles, from blood coagulation to inter-cellular communication in pathophysiology. In order for microparticle research to evolve as a preclinical and clinical tool, accurate quantification of microparticle levels is a fundamental requirement, but their size and the complexity of sample fluids present major technical challenges. Flow cytometry is commonly used, but suffers from low sensitivity and accuracy. Use of Amnis ImageStreamX Mk II imaging flow cytometer afforded accurate analysis of calibration beads ranging from 1 μm to 20 nm; and microparticles, which could be observed and quantified in whole blood, platelet-rich and platelet-free plasma and in leukocyte supernatants. Another advantage was the minimal sample preparation and volume required. Use of this high throughput analyzer allowed simultaneous phenotypic definition of the parent cells and offspring microparticles along with real time microparticle generation kinetics. With the current paucity of reliable techniques for the analysis of microparticles, we propose that the ImageStreamX could be used effectively to advance this scientific field.