Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
et al.
9
reported a novel approach to identify and diagnose
cancerous cells based on cellular nanomechanical behaviour through the
implementation of AFM. Quantitative measurements showed that the
metastatic tumour cells obtained from human patients were about ive times
softer than normal mesothelial cells despite showing similar morphology.
The use of AFM to probe and study single biological systems on the nanoscale
can yield information about the integrity and local nanomechanical
properties of these cells.
16
The AFM approach may help to understand the
mechanics inherent to changes in cytoarchitecture and dynamics under
in vitro
Cross
conditions and elucidate the mechanisms and related biological
alterations associated with tumour phenotype. AFM-based cytological
analysis can quantify the pathophysiology and potential aggressiveness of
individual tumours. It could also be used for customization/monitoring of
drug therapies based on speciic cancer cell characteristics in near future.
20.2.2 Sub-Cellular Vesicles for the Detecon of Novel Cancer
Markers from Biological Fluids
The
development of nanotechnology-based methods for early cancer
detection from
easily assessable body fluids such as blood,
17
urine
18
or
saliva
19
can be highly beneficial for diagnostics and monitoring treatment
response and
remain of paramount importance.
One such class of
biomarkers that has gained renewed interest is a unique type of sub-100
nm membrane-bound secretory vesicles called “exosomes”. Exosomes are
secreted by a wide range of normal mammalian cell types
20
and released
into body fluids such as epididymal fluid, seminal plasma, broncoalveolar
fluid, pleural effusions, ascites, amniotic fluid, blood and urine via
exocytosis.
21
Malignancy and other diseases cause elevated exosome
secretion and tumour-antigen enrichment of exosomes associated with
cancer cells.
22,23
Their physiological functions are unclear; however,
exosomes possess cell type-specific membrane and proteins enclosed in a
lipid bilayer, and serve to signal the physiological state of various distant
cells without direct access to the originating tissue or cells themselves.
Previous studies have identified populations of various types of normal
and tumour-derived exosomes. These vesicles hold tremendous promise
as biomarkers for several types of cancers. Yet, because of their small size,
sensitive and quantitative detection tools are needed for their individual
characterization. Currently, exosomes characterization includes electron
microscopy-based morphological analysis and semi-quantitative
proteomic and transcriptional analysis of exosome populations.
24
Single vesicle structural and surface molecular details on human saliva
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