Exosomes, microvesicles, and other extracellular vesicles—a Keystone Symposia report

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, lipid‐bilayer‐bound particles released by cells that can contain important bioactive molecules, including lipids, RNAs, and proteins. Once released in the extracellular environment, EVs can act as messengers locally as well as to distant tissues to coordinate tissue homeostasis and systemic responses. There is a growing interest in not only understanding the physiology of EVs as signaling particles but also leveraging them as minimally invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers (e.g., they can be found in biofluids) and drug‐delivery vehicles. On October 30–November 2, 2022, researchers in the EV field convened for the Keystone symposium “Exosomes, Microvesicles, and Other Extracellular Vesicles” to discuss developing standardized language and methodology, new data on the basic biology of EVs and potential clinical utility, as well as novel technologies to isolate and characterize EVs.

Utilizing Extracellular Vesicles for Eliminating ‘Unwanted Molecules’: Harnessing Nature’s Structures in Modern Therapeutic Strategies

“…Once the vesicles are released into the extracellular matrix (ECM), they can have an impact on the cells in the vicinity of the donor cell, or they can be transferred via circulation to distant cells. Moreover, a small amount of EVs dissolve in the ECM [ 15 , 16 ]. Vesicles can be internalized by target cells via multiple uptake mechanisms, including plasma membrane-EV fusion and various endocytosis processes, such as clathrin and caveolin-mediated endocytosis, lipid raft-mediated endocytosis, micropinocytosis, and phagocytosis, depending on the cell type [ 1 , 2 , 17 ].…”