What are exosomes and how do they work?

What are exosomes and how do they work?​

What Are Exosomes and How Do They Work? Exosomes are extracellular vesicles, or small bubbles, released from cells that act as shuttles for genetic information, proteins and messenger RNA to other cells. This usually happens in response to injuries. Generally speaking, Exosomes carry healthy and lost information and insert this to target cells.
What types of RNAs are found in exosomes?
In addition to multiple proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids that have been detected in exosomes, exosomes also contain messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and non-coding RNAs—such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) [ 6, 7, 8, 9 ].

Is exosome therapy safe?​

When performed correctly, treatment with exosomes and/or stem cell therapy is safe. Therapy with exosomes may carry a lower risk of complications as exosomes do not require an invasive surgical procedure for harvesting. Also, the use of embryonic stem cells may be connected to the risk of developing tumors.
Can exosomal miRNAs be used as diagnostic molecules?
In the recent years, a large number of researchers have focused on evaluating exosomal miRNA content and characterizing its effect on various diseases. However, the lack in quantity and expression specificity greatly limit the value of miRNAs as diagnostic molecules.

How can I analyze exosomes enriched from cell culture?​

You can analyze subsets from total exosomes enriched from cell culture using the CD63-specific reagent, or use the Streptavidin reagent in combination with your choice of biotinylated antibody. Exosomes have been shown to transport a range of molecules between different cell types.
What is the difference between erythrocytes and exosomes?
Exosomes from red blood cells contain the transferrin receptor which is absent in mature erythrocytes. Dendritic cell -derived exosomes express MHC I, MHC II, and costimulatory molecules and have been proven to be able to induce and enhance antigen-specific T cell responses in vivo.