Extracellular vesicles: Emerged as a promising strategy for regenerative medicine

Abstract

Cell transplantation therapy has certain limitations including immune rejection and limited cell viability, which seriously hinder the transformation of stem cell-based tissue regeneration into clinical practice. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) not only possess the advantages of its derived cells, but also can avoid the risks of cell transplantation. EVs are intelligent and controllable biomaterials that can participate in a variety of physiological and pathological activities, tissue repair and regeneration by transmitting a variety of biological signals, showing great potential in cell-free tissue regeneration. In this review, we summarized the origins and characteristics of EVs, introduced the pivotal role of EVs in diverse tissues regeneration, discussed the underlying mechanisms, prospects, and challenges of EVs. We also pointed out the problems that need to be solved, application directions, and prospects of EVs in the future and shed new light on the novel cell-free strategy for using EVs in the field of regenerative medicine.

Extracellular vesicles in skin health, diseases, and aging

“…Owing to their capacity to cross physiological barriers, the high biocompatibility, ease of engineering, and abundant contents of bioactive molecules, EVs present a promising therapeutic option that could be exploited to treat skin disorders and promote skin regeneration. 175,176 Despite tremendous progress in the EV field, EV research and technologies are accompanied with certain limitations and challenges. To promote the clinical translation, several issues need to be addressed.…”

Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Promising Therapeutic Opportunities for Diabetic Wound Healing

“…Other components such as enzymes, lipids, and circRNAs, remain underexplored and warrant further investigation to optimize their effects on wound healing. 120 It is worthwhile to emphasize the depth and breadth of SC-EVs in the future, explore the mechanistic effects of EVs on different systems and pathways from a holistic and multidimensional perspective, and construct a more ideal overall discursive approach.…”

Engineering extracellular vesicles for ROS scavenging and tissue regeneration

“…Research on EVs has burgeoned in recent decades, particularly their potential to enhance tissue regeneration [ 297 , 298 ]. EV-based therapies hold significant promise for targeted delivery and uptake by specific tissues.…”

“…EV-based therapies hold significant promise for targeted delivery and uptake by specific tissues. EV-based tissue regeneration has been underscored by previous investigations; however, several critical issues should be addressed before clinical translation [ 298 ]. EVs storage instability negatively impact their quality and efficacy, while the complexity and low yields of the reported protocols for EV isolation hinder large-scale production [ 298 ].…”