What is it about?
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, are nano-sized membrane-bound particles secreted by nearly all cell types, playing essential roles in intercellular communication. These vesicles carry a rich cargo of bioactive molecules such as proteins, lipids, mRNA, microRNA, and DNA fragments, reflecting the physiological or pathological state of their parent cells. In human health, EVs are involved in maintaining tissue homeostasis, immune modulation, and cellular repair. In disease contexts, they contribute to the progression of conditions like cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and infections by mediating inflammation, metastasis, and drug resistance. This review explores the emerging roles of EVs as biomarkers, therapeutic agents, and drug delivery vehicles, highlighting their diagnostic and translational potential across a wide spectrum of diseases.
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Why is it important?
EVs carry disease-specific molecular signatures, making them promising non-invasive biomarkers. Serve as natural carriers for drug delivery and hold potential in regenerative and immune therapies. Provide understanding of disease progression through their role in intercellular communication and signaling.
Perspectives
Extracellular vesicles represent a rapidly evolving frontier in biomedical science, offering novel insights into cell-cell communication and disease mechanisms. Their ability to traverse biological barriers and deliver functional cargo makes them ideal candidates for minimally invasive biomarkers and next-generation therapeutics. EVs have already shown promise in early cancer detection, monitoring neurological disorders, and modulating immune responses in autoimmune and infectious diseases. However, challenges remain in standardizing EV isolation, characterization, and functional validation across different biological systems. Bridging these gaps through advanced technologies and integrative omics approaches will be critical for translating EV-based diagnostics and therapies from bench to bedside. Their versatility holds transformative potential for precision medicine and regenerative therapies.
Dr.Ramakrishnan Veerabathiran
Chettinad Health City
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Extracellular Vesicles in Human Health and Diseases, January 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-981-97-2494-9.
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