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Updated: May 26, 2026

Transfer of Mammary Gland-forming Ability Between Mammary Basal Epithelial Cells and Mammary Luminal Cells via Extracellular Vesicles/Exosomes
09:59

Transfer of Mammary Gland-forming Ability Between Mammary Basal Epithelial Cells and Mammary Luminal Cells via Extracellular Vesicles/Exosomes

Published on: June 3, 2017

Exosome signaling in mammary gland development and cancer

An Hendrix1, Alistair N Hume

  • 1Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Radiation Oncology and Experimental Cancer Research, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. an.hendrix@ugent.be

The International Journal of Developmental Biology
|December 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Exosomes, tiny vesicles released by cells, act as messengers in both health and disease. These particles play a key role in cancer progression, particularly in metastasis.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Cancer research
  • Extracellular vesicles

Background:

  • Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles secreted by cells via multivesicular endosome fusion.
  • Rab GTPases, such as Rab27A and Rab27B, regulate exosome release mechanisms.
  • Exosomes mediate intercellular communication in physiological and pathological contexts, including breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of exosomes in mediating intercellular communication.
  • To understand the contribution of exosome messaging to cancer progression and metastasis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of exosome biogenesis and release pathways.
  • Investigating the function of Rab GTPases in exosome secretion.
  • Studying exosome-mediated interactions in cancer models.

Main Results:

  • Exosome release is controlled by Rab GTPases like Rab27A and Rab27B.
  • Exosomes facilitate cell-to-cell communication, impacting processes like lactation and breast cancer.
  • Exosome messaging contributes to tumor microenvironment modulation, aiding immune escape and metastatic niche preparation.

Conclusions:

  • Exosomes are critical mediators of intercellular communication with implications in both normal physiology and cancer.
  • Exosome-derived signals are key drivers of tumor progression and metastasis by preparing distant sites.

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