Non-reversible tissue fixation retains extracellular vesicles for in situ imaging.

TitleNon-reversible tissue fixation retains extracellular vesicles for in situ imaging.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsGupta MP, Tandalam S, Ostrager S, Lever AS, Fung AR, Hurley DD, Alegre GB, Espinal JE, H Remmel L, Mukherjee S, Levine BM, Robins RP, Molina H, Dill BD, Kenific CM, Tuschl T, Lyden D, D'Amico DJ, Pena JTG
JournalNat Methods
Volume16
Issue12
Pagination1269-1273
Date Published2019 Dec
ISSN1548-7105
KeywordsAnimals, Carbodiimides, Cattle, Cell Line, Tumor, Extracellular Vesicles, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Tissue Fixation, Vitreous Body
Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted nanosized particles with many biological functions and pathological associations. The inability to image EVs in fixed tissues has been a major limitation to understanding their role in healthy and diseased tissue microenvironments. Here, we show that crosslinking mammalian tissues with formaldehyde results in significant EV loss, which can be prevented by additional fixation with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) for visualization of EVs in a range of normal and cancer tissues.

DOI10.1038/s41592-019-0623-4
Alternate JournalNat Methods
PubMed ID31712780
PubMed Central IDPMC9344330
Grant ListL30 EY021921 / EY / NEI NIH HHS / United States
R35 CA232093 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
U19 CA179564 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States