Determination of the size distribution of blood microparticles directly in plasma using atomic force microscopy and microfluidics.

ABSTRACT: Microparticles, also known as microvesicles, found in blood plasma, urine, and most other body fluids, may serve as valuable biomarkers of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, systemic inflammatory disease, thrombosis, and cancer. Unfortunately, the detection and quantification of microparticles are hampered by the microscopic size of these particles and their relatively low abundance in blood plasma. The use of a combination of microfluidics and atomic force microscopy to detect microparticles in blood plasma circumvents both problems. In this study, capture of a specific subset of microparticles directly from blood plasma on antibody-coated mica surface is demonstrated. The described method excludes isolation and washing steps to prepare microparticles, improves the detection sensit

SUBMITTER: Ashcroft BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3388260 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature