Name: imaging of extracellular vesicles by atomic force microscopy
Uploaded: 2019-09-11T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Imaging of Extracellular Vesicles by Atomic Force Microscopy at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge financial support from the National Science Foundation (award number IGERT-0903715), the University of Utah (Department of Chemical Engineering Seed Grant and the Graduate Research Fellowship Award), and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech Fellowship).&#160;

1. Isolation of EVs from a biofluid 
<ol>
	<li>Isolate EVs by one of the established methods, such as the differential ultracentrifugation8, precipitation, or size-exclusion chromatography9.</li>
	<li>Confirm the presence of expected surface and luminal biomarkers and the absence of biomarkers indicating cross-contamination of the preparation. Confirm the lipid bilayer morphology of the isolated particles by electron microscopy. 
	NOTE: When isolatin...

<ol>
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I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Technical+challenges+of+working+with+extracellular+vesicles.">Technical challenges of working with extracellular vesicles.</a> Nanoscale. 10, 881-906 (2018).</li><li>Skliar, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Membrane+proteins+significantly+restrict+exosome+mobility.">Membrane proteins significantly restrict exosome mobility.</a> Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 501, 1055-1059 (2018).</li><li>Parisse, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Atomic+force+microscopy+analysis+of+extracellular+vesicles.">Atomic force microscopy analysis of extracellular vesicles.</a> European Biophysics Journal. 46, 813-820 (2017).</li><li>Ito, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Host+Cell+Prediction+of+Exosomes+Using+Morphological+Features+on+Solid+Surfaces+Analyzed+by+Machine+Learning.">Host Cell Prediction of Exosomes Using Morphological Features on Solid Surfaces Analyzed by Machine Learning.</a> Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 122, 6224-6235 (2018).</li><li>Sharma, S., LeClaire, M., Gimzewski, J. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ascent+of+atomic+force+microscopy+as+a+nanoanalytical+tool+for+exosomes+and+other+extracellular+vesicles.">Ascent of atomic force microscopy as a nanoanalytical tool for exosomes and other extracellular vesicles.</a> Nanotechnology. 29, 132001 (2018).</li><li>Meyer, R. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Immobilisation+of+living+bacteria+for+AFM+imaging+under+physiological+conditions.">Immobilisation of living bacteria for AFM imaging under physiological conditions.</a> Ultramicroscopy. 110, 1349-1357 (2010).</li><li>Th&#233;ry, C., Amigorena, S., Raposo, G., Clayton, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+characterization+of+exosomes+from+cell+culture+supernatants+and+biological+fluids.">Isolation and characterization of exosomes from cell culture supernatants and biological fluids.</a> Current protocols in cell biology. Chapter 3 (Unit 3.22), (2006).</li><li>Taylor, D. D., Zacharias, W., Gercel-Taylor, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Exosome+isolation+for+proteomic+analyses+and+RNA+profiling.">Exosome isolation for proteomic analyses and RNA profiling.</a> Methods in Molecular Biology. 728, 235-246 (2011).</li><li>Th&#233;ry, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Minimal+information+for+studies+of+extracellular+vesicles+2018+(MISEV2018):+a+position+statement+of+the+International+Society+for+Extracellular+Vesicles+and+update+of+the+MISEV2014+guidelines.">Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018): a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines.</a> Journal of Extracellular Vesicles. 8, 1535750 (2019).</li><li>Weng, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effective+isolation+of+exosomes+with+polyethylene+glycol+from+cell+culture+supernatant+for+in-depth+proteome+profiling.">Effective isolation of exosomes with polyethylene glycol from cell culture supernatant for in-depth proteome profiling.</a> The Analyst. 141, 4640-4646 (2016).</li><li>Ne&#269;as, D., Klapetek, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gwyddion:+an+open-source+software+for+SPM+data+analysis.">Gwyddion: an open-source software for SPM data analysis.</a> Open Physics. 10, 181-188 (2012).</li><li>Hsueh, C., Chen, H., Gimzewski, J. K., Reed, J., Abdel-Fattah, T. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Localized+nanoscopic+surface+measurements+of+nickel-modified+Mica+for+single-molecule+DNA+sequence+sampling.">Localized nanoscopic surface measurements of nickel-modified Mica for single-molecule DNA sequence sampling.</a> ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2, 3249-3256 (2010).</li><li>Conde-Vancells, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+and+comprehensive+proteome+profiling+of+exosomes+secreted+by+hepatocytes.">Characterization and comprehensive proteome profiling of exosomes secreted by hepatocytes.</a> Journal of Proteome Research. 7, 5157-5166 (2008).</li><li>Zhou, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Exosomes+released+by+human+umbilical+cord+mesenchymal+stem+cells+protect+against+cisplatin-induced+renal+oxidative+stress+and+apoptosis+in+vivo+and+in+vitro.">Exosomes released by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells protect against cisplatin-induced renal oxidative stress and apoptosis in vivo and in vitro.</a> Stem Cell Research &amp; Therapy. 4, 34 (2013).</li><li>Coleman, B. M., Hanssen, E., Lawson, V. A., Hill, A. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prion-infected+cells+regulate+the+release+of+exosomes+with+distinct+ultrastructural+features.">Prion-infected cells regulate the release of exosomes with distinct ultrastructural features.</a> FASEB Journal. 26, 4160-4173 (2012).</li><li>Briegel, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Universal+architecture+of+bacterial+chemoreceptor+arrays.">Universal architecture of bacterial chemoreceptor arrays.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 106, 17181-17186 (2009).</li><li>Akagi, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=On-Chip+Immunoelectrophoresis+of+Extracellular+Vesicles+Released+from+Human+Breast+Cancer+Cells.">On-Chip Immunoelectrophoresis of Extracellular Vesicles Released from Human Breast Cancer Cells.</a> PLOS ONE. 10, e0123603 (2015).</li><li>Sharma, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Structural-mechanical+characterization+of+nanoparticle+exosomes+in+human+saliva,+using+correlative+AFM,+FESEM,+and+force+spectroscopy.">Structural-mechanical characterization of nanoparticle exosomes in human saliva, using correlative AFM, FESEM, and force spectroscopy.</a> ACS Nano. 4, 1921-1926 (2010).</li><li>Radeghieri, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cultured+human+amniocytes+express+hTERT,+which+is+distributed+between+nucleus+and+cytoplasm+and+is+secreted+in+extracellular+vesicles.">Cultured human amniocytes express hTERT, which is distributed between nucleus and cytoplasm and is secreted in extracellular vesicles.</a> Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 483, 706-711 (2017).</li><li>Woo, J., Sharma, S., Gimzewski, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Role+of+Isolation+Methods+on+a+Nanoscale+Surface+Structure+and+Its+Effect+on+the+Size+of+Exosomes.">The Role of Isolation Methods on a Nanoscale Surface Structure and Its Effect on the Size of Exosomes.</a> Journal of Circulating Biomarkers. 5, 11 (2016).</li><li>Deegan, R. 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The immobilization of EVs from a biological fluid, surface scanning, and image analysis are the essential steps of the developed protocol for the AFM characterization of EVs in liquid. The number of vesicles amenable to AFM imaging scales with the imaged surface area and the surface concentration of the vesicles immobilized on the substrate. Given a negative zeta potential of EVs and exosomes18, we advocate electrostatic fixation of EVs from liquid samples to the AFM substrate. The immobilization ...

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are present in all body fluids, including blood, urine, saliva, milk, and the amniotic fluid. Exosomes form a district class of EVs differentiated from other EVs by endosomal biogenesis, the markers of the endosomal pathway, and the smallest size among all EVs. The size of exosomes is often reported with substantial variability between studies. The sizing results were found to be method dependent, reflecting the difference in physical principles employed by different analytical techniques to estimate EV sizes1,2. For example, the nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) &#8213; the most widely used size characterization technique &#8213; estimates the size of EVs as their hydrodynamic diameters, which characterize the resistance to the Brownian mobility of EVs in the solution. A larger hydrodynamic diameter of a vesicle implies its lower mobility in liquid. The coronal layer around vesicles, consisting of surface proteins and other molecules anchored or adsorbed to the membrane surface, substantially impedes the mobility and increases the hydrodynamic size of EVs. In relative terms, this increase is particularly large for the exosomes3, as illustrated in Figure 1.&#160;
The cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) imaging is a definitive technique in characterizing vesicle sizes and morphology in their hydrated states. However, the high cost of the instrumentation and the specialized expertise needed to use it correctly motivate the exploration of alternative techniques that can image hydrated EVs. A relatively small number of EVs observed or characterized in the acquired cryo-TEM images is another notable disadvantage of this technique.
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) visualizes the three-dimensional topography of hydrated or desiccated EVs4,5,6 by scanning a probe across the substrate to raster the image of the particles on the surface. The essential steps of the protocol to characterize EVs by AFM are outlined in this study. Before imaging the vesicles in liquid, they must be immobilized on a substrate by either tethering to a functionalized surface, trapping in a filter, or by electrostatic attraction7. The electrostatic fixation on a positively charged substrate is a particularly convenient option for immobilization of exosomes known to have a negative zeta potential. However, the same electrostatic forces that immobilize the extracellular vesicles on the surface also distort their shape, which makes post-imaging data analysis essential. We elaborate this point by describing the algorithm that estimates the size of the globular vesicles in the solution based on the AFM data on the distorted shape of the exosomes immobilized on the surface.
In the developed protocol, the procedure for the robust electrostatic immobilization of vesicles is presented and followed by the steps needed to perform atomic force imaging in the hydrated or desiccated states. The factors that influence the surface concentration of the immobilized vesicles are identified. The guidance is given on how to perform the electrostatic immobilization for samples with different concentrations of EVs in the solution. The selection of experimental conditions permitting the estimation of empirical probability distributions of different biophysical properties based on a sufficiently large number of immobilized vesicles is discussed. Examples of post-imaging analysis of the AFM data are given. Specifically, an algorithm is described for determining the size of vesicles in the solution based on the AFM characterization of immobilized EVs. The representative results show the consistency of the vesicle sizing by AFM with the results of cryo-TEM imaging.&#160;

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:581px;" width="581">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:223px;">AFM/STM Controller&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Bruker</td>
			<td style="width:93px;">Multimode Nanoscope V</td>
			<td style="width:173px;">This AFM controller supports imaging of biological samples in liquid and air.&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">AFM/STM metal specimen discs (10 mm)</td>
			<td>TedPella</td>
			<td align="right">16207</td>
			<td>Metal specimen disc on which a mica disk is attached by a double-sided tape or other means.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">AFM/STM Mica discs (10 mm)</td>
			<td>TedPella</td>
			<td align="right">50</td>
			<td>Highest quality grade V1 mica, 0.21mm (0.0085&#8221;) thick. Interleaved, in packages of 10. Can be mounted on AFM/STM discs. Available in four diameters</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">AFM probe for imaging in the air</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>TESP-V2</td>
			<td>High quality etched silicon probes for tapping mode and non-contact mode for scanning in the air.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">AFM probe for soft sample imaging in liquid</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>MLCT</td>
			<td>Soft silicon nitride cantilevers with silicon nitride tips, which are well-suited for liquid operation.&#160; The range in force constants enables users to image extremely soft samples in contact mode as well as high load vs distance spectroscopy.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Double sided tape</td>
			<td>Spectrum</td>
			<td>360-77705</td>
			<td>Used to fix the mica disk on the metal specimen disc.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">ExoQuick-TC</td>
			<td>System Biosciences</td>
			<td>EXOTC50A-1</td>
			<td>ExoQuick-TC is a proprietary polymer-based kit designed for exosome isolation from tissue culture media.&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Glass probe AFM holder for imaging in liquid</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>&#160;MTFML-V2</td>
			<td>This glass probe holder is designed for scanning in fluid with the MultiMode AFM.&#160; The holder can be used in peak force tapping mode, contact mode, tapping mode, and force modulation.&#160; The probe is acoustically driven by a separate piezo oscillator for larger amplitude modulation.&#160; The holder is supplied with two ports, required fittings, and accessories kit for adding and removing fluids.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Gwyddion</td>
			<td>Czech Metrology Institute.</td>
			<td>Version 2.52</td>
			<td>Open Source software for visualization and analysis of data fields obtained by scanning probe microscopy techniques.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="25">
			<td height="25" style="height:25px;">Lint-free blotting paper</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare Whatman&#160;</td>
			<td>Grade GB003 Blotting Paper</td>
			<td>Use this blotting paper to remove NiCl2 after the modification of the mica&#39;s substrate.&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Lint-free cleanroom wipes</td>
			<td>Texwipe</td>
			<td>AlphaWipe TX1004</td>
			<td>Use these polyester wipes for surface cleaning.&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="25">
			<td height="25" style="height:25px;">Nickel(II) chloride (NiCl2)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td align="right">339350</td>
			<td>Powder used to make 10 mM NiCl2 in DI water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;">Phosphate Buffered Saline (1x)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td align="right">10010023</td>
			<td>PBS, pH 7.4</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

imaging of extracellular vesicles by atomic force microscopy

Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles (EVs) are molecular complexes consisting of a lipid membrane vesicle, its surface decoration by membrane proteins and other molecules, and diverse luminal content inherited from a parent cell, which includes RNAs, proteins, and DNAs. The characterization of the hydrodynamic sizes of EVs, which depends on the size of the vesicle and its coronal layer formed by surface decorations, has become routine. For exosomes, the smallest of EVs, the relative difference between the hydrodynamic and vesicles sizes is significant. The characterization of vesicles sizes by the cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) imaging, a gold standard technique, remains a challenge due to the cost of the instrument, the expertise required to perform the sample preparation, imaging and data analysis, and a small number of particles often observed in images. A widely available and accessible alternative is the atomic force microscopy (AFM), which can produce versatile data on three-dimensional geometry, size, and other biophysical properties of extracellular vesicles. The developed protocol guides the users in utilizing this analytical tool and outlines the workflow for the analysis of EVs by the AFM, which includes the sample preparation for imaging EVs in hydrated or desiccated form, the electrostatic immobilization of vesicles on a substrate, data acquisition, its analysis, and interpretation. The representative results demonstrate that the fixation of EVs on the modified mica surface is predictable, customizable, and allows the user to obtain sizing results for a large number of vesicles. The vesicle sizing based on the AFM data was found to be consistent with the cryo-TEM imaging.&#160;

Surface fixation of EVs is a critical step in the imaging sequence. Electrostatic surface immobilization of exosomes, known to have a negative zeta potential, will robustly occur after the mica&#8217;s substrate is modified to have a positive surface charge. Without the treatment with NiCl2 to impart positive surface changes, the immobilization of EVs on the substrate was found to be ineffective. The height image in Figure 10A, acquired in the air after the MCF-7 exosome sample co...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Imaging of Extracellular Vesicles by Atomic Force Microscopy at JoVE.com

Imaging of Extracellular Vesicles by Atomic Force Microscopy

A step-by-step procedure is described for label-free immobilization of exosomes and extracellular vesicles from liquid samples and their imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM images are used to estimate the size of the vesicles in the solution and characterize other biophysical properties.&#160;

Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles (EVs) are molecular complexes consisting of a lipid membrane vesicle, its surface decoration by membrane ...

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