Urinary microvesicles and exosomes have recently emerged as a potential source of biomarkers in renal health and disease. Still, the biological functions and signaling events facilitated through microvesicles and exosomes shed into the interstitium and primary urine, remain elusive. Therefore, we are investigating cell-specific subpopulations of renal microvesicles and exosomes for their biomolecular functions in vitro and in vivo. Likewise, we are establishing protocols for the isolation of the aforementioned subpopulations from urine samples in search for microvesicular proteins or nucleic acids that serve as novel biomarkers to accompany kidney biopsies in various nephropathies.