Amniotic Fluid Extracellular Vesicle Properties Evolve With Gestational Age and Reflect Fetal Development.

ABSTRACT: Amniotic fluid (AF) is a valuable source of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from the fetoplacental unit. Preclinical and clinical studies have highlighted promising applications of AF-EVs and their role in cellular communication, yet our understanding of AF-EV physiology remains limited. This study aimed to examine the physiological importance of AF-EVs in fetal development from the second trimester to term gestation. We obtained AF samples from routine second-trimester amniocentesis and prelabour Caesarean section at term. We isolated EVs using a combination of differential centrifugation, filtration and ultracentrifugation and characterised them using nanoparticle tracking analysis, cryo-electron microscopy and Western blotting. The differential EV proteome was analysed using label-

SUBMITTER: Atukorala I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12508267 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature