- Exosomes are small (30–150 nm) extracellular vesicles derived specifically from the endosomal pathway of cells. Unlike other EVs such as micro vesicles, exosomes are formed within multivesicular bodies and released when these compartments fuse with the plasma membrane.
- Due to their natural targeting ability, low immunogenicity, and capacity for engineered loading, exosomes are increasingly being used in targeted drug delivery, immune modulation, and regenerative medicine.
- Exosome-based therapies are safer and more stable than live-cell therapies and can be stored long-term as off-the-shelf products. These features make exosomes a promising and distinct therapeutic platform within the broader category of extracellular vesicles.
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Théry et al., 2006. Exosomes: composition, biogenesis and function. Nature Reviews Immunology, 6(8), 569–579.
Kalluri & LeBleu, 2020. The biology, function, and biomedical applications of exosomes. Science, 367(6478), eaau6977.
El Andaloussi et al., 2013. Extracellular vesicles: biology and emerging therapeutic opportunities. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 12(5), 347–357.
Image adapted from Shahi et al., Cells 2024, CC BY 4.0.