Lipid-based probes for extracellular isolation

A method of isolating extracellular vesicles from a sample, the method comprising:

• contacting at least one labelling probe with a sample comprising extracellular vesicles having a lipid bilayer, wherein each labelling probe comprises a lipid tail, a spacer, and a tag and the lipid tail of the labelling probe inserts into the lipid bilayer of at least one of the extracellular vesicles so as to label the extracellular vesicle and facilitate capturing of the labeled extracellular vesicle, the sample including a fluid having the extracellular vesicles, the fluid being a body fluid, a buffer fluid, or a cell culture fluid, the extracellular vesicles being included in the fluid such that:
• (a) there is a ratio of 1.4×109 extracellular vesicles to at least 10 nanomoles (nmol) of the labeling probe during the contacting when the fluid is the body fluid,
• (b) there is a ratio of 1.4×109 extracellular vesicles to at least 0.1 nmol of the labeling probe during the contacting when the fluid is the cell culture fluid, and
• (c) there is a ratio of 1.4×109 extracellular vesicles to at least 1 nmol of the labeling probe during the contacting when the fluid is the buffer fluid;
• capturing the at least one labeled extracellular vesicle with a capture probe configured to combine with the at least one labelling probe, the capture probe comprising a magnetic particle or a magnetic bead having a compound that binds the tag of the labelling probe to the capture probe;
• and
• isolating the at least one labeled extracellular vesicle captured with the capture probe via at least one magnetic field.