Yes / A novel particle isolation method for tissue samples was developed and tested using particle-doped peri-articular tissues from ovine cadavers. This enabled sensitivity of the isolation technique to be established by doping tissue samples of 0.25 g with very low particle volumes of 2.5 µm3 per sample. Image analysis was used to verify that the method caused no changes to particle size or morphologies. / The European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no. GA-310477, LifeLongJoints.