Particle Exclusion Assay: A Tool for Measuring Hyaluronan Pericellular Matrix

Hyaluronan (HA) is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan in the extracellular matrixExtracellular matrix (ECM), and its deposition is strictly related to changes in cellular behaviors, such as cell migrationCell migration, proliferation, and adhesion. Pericellular HA is abundant in a variety of cell types, and its amount could reflect specific conditions, thus suggesting a particular cellular status. Particle exclusion assayParticle exclusion assay is a useful tool to visualize pericellular matricesPericellular matrices with a high HA content, simply employing microscope image analysis. This approach is quick and allows to visualize the presence of a clear pericellular region around single cells, where fixed red blood cells are excluded if the pericellular matrixPericellular matrices has been deposited.