[Regulation of immune responses by exosomes derived from antigen presenting cells]

Cells release several biomolecules to the extracellular environment using them as a communication alternative with neighbor cells. Besides these molecules, cells also release more complex elements, like vesicles; structures composed of a lipidic bilayer with transmembrane proteins that protect a hydrophilic content. Exosomes are a small subtype of vesicles (30-150 nm), produced by many cell types, such as tumor cells, neurons, epithelial cells and immune cells. Included in this last group, antigen presenting cells produce exosomes that contain different types of molecules depending on their activation and/or maturation state. In recent years there has been an exponential interest in exosomes due to the recent evidences that show the immunomodulatory properties of these vesicles and therefore, their great potential in diagnostic approaches and development of therapies for different inflammation-associated pathologies.