Biotium’s New Staining Kit Aims to Optimize Exosome Detection

ExoBrite, the new extracellular vesicle (EV) membrane staining kits launched in August 2021 by Biotium, a US-based supplier and inventor of fluorescent cellular probes, aims to enhance the detection of exosomes or EVs with the use of flow cytometry. The kits are designed for fluorescent staining of exosomes or EVs with little to no background and are validated for flow cytometry. The kits also have potential applications in super-resolution imaging or other exosome detection platforms, the company stated in an Aug. 5, 2021 press release.

EVs, including exosomes, are increasingly studied for their roles in cell communication and as potential targets for diagnostic and drug delivery applications. Reliable staining of EV membranes, however, has been hampered by challenges of dye aggregation and the lack of bright and specific probes. ExoBrite stains are suitable for both purified and bead-bound exosomes. The stains can also be combined with antibody staining for multi-parameter analysis. ExoBrite is Biotium’s first product line developed specifically for EV and exosome research.

“Extracellular vesicle and exosome research is a fast-growing field for life science research. Yet the current probes available for EV detection require significant troubleshooting and have varying results depending on the sample type,” said Alexis Madrid, principal scientist at Biotium, in the press release. “We wanted to give scientists the tools to streamline their EV research and spend more time making discoveries in this exciting field.”