Single-cell microdevice isolates and profiles extracellular vesicles over weeks

A new single-cell microdevice has been developed to isolate and profile extracellular vesicles over extended periods. Extracellular vesicles are important for cell communication, particularly in cancer, influencing metastasis and treatment resistance. Current methods typically analyze vesicles in bulk, which obscures differences among individual cells, while existing single-vesicle techniques provide detailed information but lack context about the originating cell. Additionally, current single-cell platforms are limited by short culture times and signal mixing, highlighting the need for technologies that can culture single cells long-term while analyzing the vesicles they produce.