Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Distinguishing Extracellular Vesicles under Autophagic Conditions: A Marker for Disease Diagnostics

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Distinguishing Extracellular Vesicles under Autophagic Conditions: A Marker for Disease Diagnostics

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) laden with lipids, proteins, DNA, and micro-RNAs play important biological functions in intercellular communication and have pivotal roles in pathophysiological conditions. Characterization of the EVs has always been a multistep process involving large volumes, and they are heterogeneous in size and properties. A multitude of approaches is used to distinguish the EVs. Here, we report simple citrate reduced silver nanoparticles assisted surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a tool to distinguish EVs extracted from several cell lines isolated under autophagic conditions (nitrogen starvation).