Gateway to understanding microparticles: standardized isolation and identification of plasma membrane-derived vesicles

Microparticles (MPs) are small plasma membrane-derived vesicles that can expose molecules originating from their parental cells. As vectors of biological information they are likely to play an active role in both homeostasis and pathogenesis, making them promising biomarkers and nanomedicine tools. Therefore, there is an urgent need for standardization of MP isolation and analysis protocols to propel our understanding of MP biology to the next level. Based on current methodology and recent insights, this review proposes an optimized protocol for the isolation and biochemical characterization of MPs.