Isolation, storage, and delivery of extracellular vesicles using asymmetric depth filters

Abstract

Asymmetric depth filtration for isolation of EVs or other desired nanoparticles from a biological or other fluid with high yield and purity in a simple, cost-effective manner. Such a method includes passing the biological fluid through the asymmetric depth filter (e.g., in a single pass) where the fluid is introduced into the filter at an entry portion, where components of the biological fluid pass through the wider entry portion of the pores before advancing towards the narrower exit portion of the pores, wherein EVs in the fluid become reversibly entrapped within the wider portion of the pores, while similarly sized soft, low-density lipids and/or proteins are pushed more deeply into the filter, so that the reversibly entrapped EVs can be released by simply reversing the flow, while the similarly sized soft low-density lipids and/or proteins remain permanently entrapped within the pores of the filter.