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Learn more about the next MISEV, expected to be released in 2023.

The first Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (MISEV) guidelines were released in 2014 by the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) to provide guidance in standardization of protocols and reporting in the extracellular vesicle field. Accumulating more than 800 citations by the end of 2018, the MISEV2014 guidelines have achieved the aim to become a guiding standard for researchers. A 2016 survey of society members reaffirmed the need for guidelines and recommended that they be updated regularly and with broad community input to accommodate this quickly developing field. MISEV2018, published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (JEV, originally published by Taylor & Francis, now published by Wiley), updated the topics of nomenclature, separation, characterization and functional analysis, integrating the contributions of over 380 ISEV members, a strong tribute to the commitment of ISEV members. A two-page checklist summarizing the main points is also included.

Changes from MISEV2014

MISEV2018 recommends the use of ‘extracellular vesicle’ as the best generic terminology for use in publications, in part due to the challenges in confirming the biogenesis mechanisms of exosomes, microvesicles, and other particles, and in part due to the vague and varied uses of other terms. Separation and concentration options are now vast, and researchers should pick the methods most fit for downstream purpose and, more importantly, report these clearly and accurately. The EV-TRACK database (van Deun, et al, Nature Methods, 2017) is supported as a means to record these details in order to improve clarity and reproducibility. To establish presence of EVs, examples of EV-enriched markers are provided, but the need for “negative” (better: depleted) markers is also highlighted. MISEV2018 adds topology as a recommended form of EV characterization, for example identifying where in or on a vesicle your favorite protein or RNA resides. It also recommends functional analysis of the ‘non-EV’ fractions to confirm EV=specific function (or not!). An appreciation of EV heterogeneity is included with a reminder that ‘larger EVs matter’ and a request to explore a range of EV subtypes in functional studies. Finally, although some of the specific details contained in MISEV2018 are focused on mammalian components, it is appreciated that the guidelines are applicable to non-mammalian and non-eukaryote research. Please contact the corresponding authors, Clotilde Théry and Kenneth Witwer ([email protected], [email protected]) with any questions or comments.

For more information on the MISEV2018 process, view this article.
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