Table 3 Summary of methods for drug loading analysis in engineered exosomes
From: Encapsulation and assessment of therapeutic cargo in engineered exosomes: a systematic review
Evaluation methods | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
Morphological observation | Directly observing exosome morphology, size, distribution, and drug loading | Requiring specialized equipment and expertise; sample preparation can be complex, with possible artifacts introduced during processing that may affect sample integrity |
UV–visible spectroscopy | Simple, rapid technique to directly quantify contents in exosome samples | Only measuring absorption spectra, does not directly quantify drug loading into exosomes |
Protein quantification | Simple, rapid, direct measurements of protein in exosome samples | Only measuring total protein content, does not directly quantify drug loading into exosomes |
Fluorescence microscopy | Directly observation of drug encapsulation and quantify exosome uptake | Complex, requiring specialized equipment, extensive sample preparation, and optimization, and potential of introducing artifacts |
Stability testing | Assessing stability of exosomes under stressed conditions, providing parameters on exosome physical, chemical, and biological stability | Time-consuming and require stringent storage conditions |