Berta Puig Martorell

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double membrane enclosed nanoparticles released by all types of cells mediating intercellular communication with a significant influence on physiological functions but also pathological mechanisms of disease. They contain proteins, genetic material, metabolites, and lipids that can elicit a response in the recipient cells. As they are present in body fluids and represent the state of the cell they originate from, they are also regarded as excellent biomarkers. Moreover, they can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and therefore, they may be used as therapeutic tools. However, although in recent years the field of EVs made great advances in their isolation, characterization, and applicability, many questions are still open about their biology and role in diseases. In my group, we use several molecular biology tools to isolate EVs and elucidate the role that they play in ischemic stroke and how they are taken up and deliver their content to recipient cells. 

• Cell culture: transient andstable transfections of immortalized cell lines, preparation and maintenance of neuronal primary cultures, 3D culture.

• Protein biochemistry: electrophoresis and Western blot, 2D gels, isolation of cellular organelles and lipid rafts by differential centrifugation, immunoprecipitation, biotinylation assays.

• Morphological analysis: sample preparation for histological analysis, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy.

• Molecular biology: PCR, qPCR, cloning, mutagenesis.

• Transgenic mice: generation, maintenance and characterization of transgenic mouse lines.