Extracellular vesicles garner interest from academia and biotech

Abstract

Glioblastoma cells produce microvesicles containing RNA, as shown in this scanning electron microscopy image (Left). Higher magnification reveals microvesicles-ranging from 50 to 500 nm in diameter-on the cell surface (Right).

Extracellular Microvesicles as Game Changers in Better Understanding the Complexity of Cellular Interactions—From Bench to Clinical Applications

“…In addition to fine-tuned, ligand-specific, receptor-based interactions that emerged over time during evolution, one of the most developmentally early cell-to-cell communication mechanisms is based on spherical membrane fragments. While larger ExMVs (~100 nm to 1 μm in diameter) are shed from the cell surface by blebbing and budding of the cell plasma membrane, smaller ones (~40–150 nm) are derived from the endosomal cell membrane compartment in the process of exocytosis [1–5]. Smaller ExMVs are known as exosomes in the literature, and in this review, for reasons of simplicity, we will refer to both large and small spherical membrane fragments by the common name ExMVs.…”

“…ExMVs contain an outer phospholipid layer that surrounds inner content composed of several coding and non-coding RNA species, biologically active proteins (including enzymes), signaling components, transcription factors, bioactive lipids, nucleotides, and certain metabolites [1–13]. In some large ExMVs mitochondria have also been identified [14].…”

“…In some large ExMVs mitochondria have also been identified [14]. Certain ligands hijacked from microvesicle-producing cells may also be expressed on the surface of ExMVs and may directly stimulate target cells in a ligand receptor-dependent manner [1–7]. Below, we will summarize the most important applications of ExMVs in medical biology, clinical medicine, and diagnostics.…”

“…As with many breakthrough discoveries, the significance of research on microparticles, microvesicles, and exosomes—all recently proposed to be included under the umbrella term “extracellular microvesciles” (ExMVs)—was not immediately apparent [1–5]. The best-known examples initially were platelet-derived ExMVs released from activated platelets as important facilitators in activating the blood coagulation cascade [6] and ExMVs released from maturing reticulocytes and enriched in surplus cell surface receptors shed from maturating red blood cells [3].…”

“…The best-known examples initially were platelet-derived ExMVs released from activated platelets as important facilitators in activating the blood coagulation cascade [6] and ExMVs released from maturing reticulocytes and enriched in surplus cell surface receptors shed from maturating red blood cells [3]. By contrast, with regard to the physiological role of ExMVs released from nucleated cells there was initially great skepticism, and ExMVs were believed by many investigators to be merely cell debris or apoptotic bodies released from damaged cells [1,2]. …”