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Exploiting Microfluidics for Extracellular Vesicle Isolation and Characterization: Potential Use for Standardized
Bahram Talebjedi1, Nishat Tasnim1, Mina Hoorfar1
1School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
|January 20, 2021
Summary
Embryonic extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold promise as biomarkers for embryo selection. Microfluidics offers a solution to challenges in isolating and analyzing these EVs for improved diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology and developmental science
- Biomarker discovery and diagnostics
- Microfluidics and nanotechnology
Background:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in intercellular communication and as potential health and disease biomarkers.
- Embryonic EVs are secreted by embryos, but their study is limited by low yields and complex isolation methods.
- Current limitations hinder the use of embryonic EVs as reliable markers for embryo quality assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify critical challenges in isolating and characterizing embryonic extracellular vesicles (EVs).
- To explore the potential of microfluidics technologies in overcoming these challenges for embryonic EV analysis.
- To provide insights for developing embryonic EV profiling into a diagnostic test for non-invasive embryo selection.
Main Methods:
- Review and comparison of conventional EV isolation techniques with advanced microfluidics-based methods.
- Analysis of existing literature on embryonic EVs and their association with embryo developmental competence.
- Identification of specific microfluidics applications for efficient embryonic EV isolation and characterization.
Main Results:
- Conventional methods for EV isolation are often laborious, costly, and yield insufficient material for analysis.
- Microfluidics technologies show significant promise for optimizing the isolation and characterization of embryonic EVs.
- Key challenges remain, including the lack of specific embryo quality biomarkers and limited studies on EV content across varying embryo competence.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidics can address the limitations of current embryonic EV isolation and characterization methods.
- Profiling embryonic EVs using microfluidics could lead to a fast, user-friendly tool for non-invasive embryo selection.
- Further research is needed to validate embryonic EVs as specific biomarkers of embryo quality.
