Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) as “A Window to the Brain”: Potential, Challenges and Future Perspectives

[摘要] Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are spherical, membrane-bound,nano-sized particles released from nearly all cell types underphysiological and pathological conditions and are known tomediate intercellular crosstalk. These vesicles are enclosedby a phospholipid bilayer membrane and may range in sizebetween 30–1000 nm [1]. Depending on the size, EVs areclassifed as exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies.The knowledge behind the secretion of EVs was unknownuntil studies in the 1980s reported the discovery of a complex pathway in which intracellularly formed vesicles weresecreted through multivesicular endosomes (MVE) [1]. Thisfnding led to a series of studies that eventually improved theknowledge of the biogenesis of EVs. It is now known thatthe combination of early endosomes leads to the formationof late endosomes via the maturation process. Then intraluminal vesicles are formed due to luminal invagination of theendosomal membrane, leading to the formation of MVEs.These MVEs fuse with the plasma membrane to release theintraluminal vesicles as exosomes. Microvesicles are smallerEVs derived from the plasma membrane through buddingand fssion.

[学科分类] 过敏症与临床免疫学