Recent studies have identified an extracellular vesicle population that is tightly anchored within the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues and organs until released by matrix turnover events. Evidence suggests that these matrix-bound nanovesicles (MBVs) are a ubiquitous component of the ECM, raising questions regarding their tissue-specific identity and their biologic function(s). The primary objective of this study was to examine MBVs isolated from six different tissues and compare their physical and compositional characteristics to determine the common and differentially expressed features. Accordingly, the results of this characterization show that while MBVs are a ubiquitous component of the ECM, they contain a protein and microRNA cargo that is tissue specific. The results furthermore suggest that MBVs have an important role in regulating tissue homeostasis.
Keywords: extracellular matrix; extracellular vesicles; matrix-bound nanovesicles; microvesicles.