Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Exosomes01:36

Overview of Exosomes

Exosomes are stable, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles capable of crossing biological barriers. They can carry a wide range of molecules required for intercellular communication. Once exosomes are released from the cell where they originated, they enter a recipient cell through various pathways such as fusion, receptor-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis.
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Human enterotoxigenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (ETEC) infections elicit antibodies that broadly neutralize mucinases of pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Shigella</i>.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Fibroblast-driven collagen expansion and altered thymic medullary niches in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Journal of human immunity·2026
Same author

Enhanced CD56 Expression and Increased Number of CD56<sup>+bright</sup> Cells in the Peripheral Blood of Untreated Endometriosis Patients.

American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989)·2026
Same author

Serologic IL-18 increase with B-cell IL-18R loss characterizes selective IgA deficiency.

Frontiers in immunology·2026
Same author

EatA mediated degradation of intestinal mucus is species-specific and driven by MUC2 structural features.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Arylsulfamates inhibit colonic Bacteroidota growth through a sulfatase-independent mechanism.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Isolation and Characterization of RNA-Containing Exosomes
09:43

Isolation and Characterization of RNA-Containing Exosomes

Published on: January 9, 2012

Characterization of human thymic exosomes.

Gabriel Skogberg1, Judith Gudmundsdottir, Sjoerd van der Post

  • 1Dept of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research at the Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Plos One
|July 12, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Researchers isolated and characterized exosomes from human thymus, revealing unique surface markers and microRNA profiles. These thymic exosomes may play a role in T cell selection and immune tolerance.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes Derived from Mouse Spleen Tissues
05:27

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes Derived from Mouse Spleen Tissues

Published on: September 20, 2024

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus
09:07

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus

Published on: September 19, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Isolation and Characterization of RNA-Containing Exosomes
09:43

Isolation and Characterization of RNA-Containing Exosomes

Published on: January 9, 2012

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes Derived from Mouse Spleen Tissues
05:27

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes Derived from Mouse Spleen Tissues

Published on: September 20, 2024

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus
09:07

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus

Published on: September 19, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Extracellular Vesicles

Background:

  • Exosomes are key mediators of intercellular communication, transporting proteins, lipids, and RNAs.
  • They play critical roles in immune responses and information exchange between cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the first isolation and comprehensive characterization of exosomes derived from human thymic tissue.
  • To investigate the unique molecular and morphological features of thymic exosomes.

Main Methods:

  • Electron microscopy for morphology assessment.
  • Particle size and density gradient measurements for physical properties.
  • Flow cytometry, proteomic analysis, and microRNA profiling for molecular composition.

Main Results:

  • Human thymic exosomes were successfully isolated and characterized.
  • These exosomes share common exosome features but possess distinct surface markers, protein content, and microRNA profiles.
  • Thymic exosomes carry tissue-restricted proteins, suggesting a role in T cell development.

Conclusions:

  • Human thymic exosomes are unique vesicles involved in intercellular communication within the thymus.
  • Their specific molecular cargo may be crucial for T cell selection and the induction of central tolerance.
  • Thymic exosomes could be involved in negative selection and regulatory T cell formation in developing thymocytes.