Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Characterization of Immune Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles and Studying Functional Impact on Cell Environment
Published on: June 2, 2020
Biogenesis of extracellular vesicles (EV): exosomes, microvesicles, retrovirus-like vesicles, and apoptotic bodies
Johnny C Akers1, David Gonda, Ryan Kim
1Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive #0987, La Jolla, CA 92093-0987, USA.
Abstract:
Recent studies suggest both normal and cancerous cells secrete vesicles into the extracellular space. These extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain materials that mirror the genetic and proteomic content of the secreting cell. The identification of cancer-specific material in EVs isolated from the biofluids (e.g., serum, cerebrospinal fluid, urine) of cancer patients suggests EVs as an attractive platform for biomarker development. It is important to recognize that the EVs derived from clinical samples are likely highly heterogeneous in make-up and arose from diverse sets of biologic processes. This article aims to review the biologic processes that give rise to various types of EVs, including exosomes, microvesicles, retrovirus like particles, and apoptotic bodies. Clinical pertinence of these EVs to neuro-oncology will also be discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Intralumenal Vesicles and Multivesicular Bodies
Overview of Exosomes
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...
Exocytosis
Exocytosis
Exocytosis is the opposite of endocytosis, which brings molecules inside the cell. Sometimes, the released materials are signaling molecules. For example, neurons typically use exocytosis to release neurotransmitters. Cells also use exocytosis to insert proteins such as ion channels into their cell membranes, secrete proteins for use in the extracellular matrix, or...
Vesicular Trasport: Endocytosis, Transcytosis and Exocytosis
Endocytosis is a cellular mechanism that involves the inward folding of the cell membrane to create vesicles that capture and transport large drug molecules. This process comprises two distinct methods: pinocytosis (often referred to as "cell drinking") and phagocytosis (often referred to as "cell eating"). Pinocytosis is...
Receptor-mediated Endocytosis
Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis of LDL
One well-characterized example of receptor-mediated endocytosis is the...

