Flow cytometry, TRPS and western blotting were employed for MV quantification. For cytofluorimetric measurement calibration beads of known dimensions (0.1–0.9 µm) were used for defining the area of the plot into which MVs were expected to be comprised (Figure 2F, left panel). As a proof of concept, we tested whether the stereotyped effects of exATP on MV production could be recorded by using this set up. As reported in Figure 2F (middle and right panels), the number of MVs produced by ATP-stimulated cells is higher than that of MVs collected from untreated cells. Similar results were obtained by TRPS as well as by immunoblotting of flotillin-1 (Figures 2G,H, respectively). Overall, this set of experiments shows that CHME-5 cells express a functional P2X7 receptor that mediates the release of MVs upon exATP treatments.