A Comparison of Traditional and Novel Methods for the Separation of Exosomes from Human Samples

Figure 1

Flow chart of the procedure for the purification of exosomes from human samples by ultracentrifugation and density gradient centrifugation. (a) After a number of differential centrifugations at low speed, the pellets (cells, cell debris) are discarded, and the supernatant is kept for the next centrifugation step. In contrast, after the two 100,000×g centrifugations, the pellets (containing exosomes with contaminant proteins as well as pure exosomes) are kept, and the supernatants are discarded. (b) The sample is added to an inert gradient medium for ultracentrifugation. Different components of the sample settle to their isodensity areas, allowing separation of the exosome and other components in the sample.

(a)

(b)