Sizing Extracellular Vesicles Using Membrane Dyes and a Single Molecule-Sensitive Flow Analyzer

Anal Chem. 2021 Apr 13;93(14):5897-5905. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00253. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous particles released by most cells in our body, which are involved in many cell-to-cell signaling processes. Given the nanometer sizes and heterogeneity of EVs, highly sensitive methods with single-molecule resolution are fundamental to investigating their biophysical properties. Here, we demonstrate the sizing of EVs using a fluorescence-based flow analyzer with single-molecule sensitivity. Using a dye that selectively partitions into the vesicle's membrane, we show that the fluorescence intensity of a vesicle is proportional to its diameter. We discuss the constraints in sample preparation which are inherent to sizing nanoscale vesicles with a fluorescent membrane dye and propose several guidelines to improve data consistency. After optimizing staining conditions, we were able to measure the size of vesicles in the range ∼35-300 nm, covering the spectrum of EV sizes. Lastly, we developed a method to correct the signal intensity from each vesicle based on its traveling speed inside the microfluidic channel, by operating at a high sampling rate (10 kHz) and measuring the time required for the particle to cross the laser beam. Using this correction, we obtained a threefold greater accuracy in EV sizing, with a precision of ±15-25%.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Extracellular Vesicles*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Light
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes