Methods to analyze extracellular vesicles at single particle level

Micro and Nano Systems Letters

Table 1 Comparison of single EV analysis techniques

Type	Optical techniques			Non-optical techniques
	NTA	nFCM	TIRF & Dark-field	Electron microscopy			AFM	RPS
	NTA	nFCM	TIRF & Dark-field	SEM	TEM	Cryo-TEM	AFM	RPS
Sample state	Suspension	Suspension	Immobilized, diffusion	Immobilized, dehydrated	Immobilized, dehydrated	Immobilized	Immobilized, dehydrated	Suspension
Detection type	Light scattering, fluorescence	Light scattering, fluorescence	Light scattering, fluorescence	Scattered electron	Transmitted electron	Transmitted electron	Light position	Electric current
Detection size	> 50 nm	> 50 nm	> 30–40 nm	> 1–2 nm	> 1–2 nm	> 1–2 nm	> 1 nm	> 40 nm
Size	○	○	✕	◎	◎	◎	◎	◎
Concentration	◎	◎	✕	✕	✕	✕	✕	◎
Shape	✕	✕	✕	◎	◎	◎	○	✕
Phenotype	◎	◎	◎	✕	○	○	✕	✕
Rigidity	✕	✕	✕	✕	✕	✕	◎	✕
Charge	○	✕	✕	✕	✕	✕	✕	◎