The Morphology of Erythrocytes Reveals Differences in the Mechanisms of Erythrocyte-Derived Extracellular Vesicle Formation

Erythrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (EDEVs) are a promising tool of targeted drug delivery, and the aim of this study was to compare several methods for obtaining EVs from erythrocytes in vitro. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that erythrocytes shed EVs under a number of certain treatments (calcium ionophore A23187, sodium dodecyl sulfate, lysophosphatidic acid, and incubation at 50°C). Differences in the morphology of erythrocytes subjected to conditions stimulating EDEV release indicate differences in the mechanisms of EDEV formation. Raman spectroscopy showed that EDEVs obtained by heat treatment may contain hemoglobin, while treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate results in the formation of hemoglobin-free vesicles. The data obtained will allow for the targeted selection of EDEV production methods based on the required composition.