Methods for the Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles

Purification of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from different sample types is a critical step that is performed prior to biological and clinical studies. Numerous EV isolation methods have been developed based on different theories, and it is essential for researchers to balance the degree of EV purity with the ease of use for each method. In this chapter, we discuss five types of EV isolation methods: ultracentrifugation, immunoaffinity capture, polymer precipitation, size-exclusion chromatography, and tangential flow ultrafiltration. Based on this information, we propose the following considerations for choosing a proper method when dealing with different scientific questions: (1) how much co-isolating contaminants can be tolerated; (2) how important is the ease of use for conducting large-scale clinical or basic research; and (3) how critical is the EV yield for subsequent analysis.