Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicle Analysis in Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis and Therapy

Figure 5

PLACS nsEV sorter schematic. Single nsEVs with desired fluorescence properties, for example, binding by nsEV surface marker- and cell type surface marker-specific fluorescent Abs, are isolated from the bulk plasma nanoscale particle population by high speed fluid jets. These fluid jets are generated by picoliter scale bubbles that are triggered by pulsed laser-induced cavitation. The PLACS sorting module sorts nanoparticles at rates (~30,000/sec) comparable to those for state-of-the-art flow cytometers while providing the advantage of being able to isolate individual nsEVs from the overall particle population. Conventional flow cytometers entrap sorted nsEVs in nanoliter scale liquid droplets; droplets of this size typically encase multiple nsEVs and prevent high purity enrichment of individual nsEVs from the bulk plasma nanoscale particle population.