An Acoustofluidic Device for Sample Preparation and Detection of Small Extracellular Vesicles

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are crucial biomarkers for liquid biopsy, reflecting physiological and pathological states.
• Robust technologies for sEV isolation and analysis are essential for clinical applications.
• Current methods face challenges in efficiency and sensitivity for specific sEV subpopulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel sharp-edge acoustofluidic platform for rapid sEV sample preparation and analysis.
• To demonstrate sensitive detection of specific sEV populations based on surface markers.
• To enable high-sensitivity biomarker detection and isolation of organ-specific sEVs.

Main Methods:

• Development of a sharp-edge acoustofluidic chip utilizing acoustically activated microstructures.
• Concentration of bead-bound sEVs within the microfluidic device.
• Fluorescence microscopy for visualization and detection of specific sEV populations.

Main Results:

• The platform achieved rapid and effective sample preparation for sEVs.
• Selective isolation and detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing vesicles were demonstrated.
• A nearly 6-fold signal enhancement for EGFR-positive sEVs was observed from small sample volumes (50 μl).

Conclusions:

• The acoustofluidic platform shows significant potential for high-sensitivity biomarker detection.
• This technology can be applied to isolate organ-specific sEVs for real-time monitoring.
• The platform advances diagnostic precision and therapeutic decision-making in clinical practice.