GO:0072562

A phospholipid microvesicle that is derived from any of several cell types, such as platelets, blood cells, endothelial cells, or others, and contains membrane receptors as well as other proteins characteristic of the parental cell. Microparticles are heterogeneous in size, and are characterized as microvesicles free of nucleic acids. [GOC:BHF, GOC:mah, PMID:16373184]