Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 21, 2025

05:07
Characterizing Extracellular Vesicles from Biological Fluids
Published on: February 28, 2025
669
Shedding Light on Extracellular Vesicle Biogenesis and Bioengineering
Fei Teng1, Martin Fussenegger1,2
1Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering ETH Zurich Mattenstrasse 26 Basel CH-4058 Switzerland.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|January 13, 2021
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized biological vesicles with low immunogenicity, making them promising for drug delivery. Bioengineering strategies are advancing their potential for clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Nanomedicine
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized, secreted vesicles containing diverse biomolecules.
- EVs possess low immunogenicity and can modify recipient cells.
- These properties make EVs attractive for next-generation drug delivery systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize recent advances in extracellular vesicle (EV) biology.
- To review emerging strategies in EV bioengineering.
- To discuss the clinical translation prospects and challenges of bioengineered EVs.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent advances in EV biology.
- Analysis of emerging EV bioengineering strategies.
- Discussion of clinical translation data and challenges.
Main Results:
- EVs are biocompatible nanovesicles carrying proteins, RNAs, DNAs, lipids, and metabolites.
- EVs' ability to transfer bioactive molecules and low immunogenicity are key for drug delivery.
- Bioengineering approaches are enhancing EV therapeutic potential.
Conclusions:
- Bioengineered EVs show significant promise for clinical drug delivery applications.
- Overcoming challenges in EV production, targeting, and regulation is crucial for translation.
- Continued research in EV biology and bioengineering will drive clinical advancements.
Related Concept Videos
Intralumenal Vesicles and Multivesicular Bodies
4.3K
Intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) are small vesicles 50-80 nm in diameter formed during the maturation of early endosomes. A specialized endosome containing numerous ILVs is called a multivesicular body (MVB). ILVs contain internalized molecules such as antigens, nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. Some of these molecules are released from the MVBs inside exosomes and are transported to other cells. Other MVBs contain molecules that are retained in the ILVs and are later degraded within the...
4.3K
Vesicular Tubular Clusters
2.8K
After budding out from the ER membrane, some COPII vesicles lose their coat and fuse with one another to form larger vesicles and interconnected tubules called vesicular tubular clusters or VTCs. These clusters constitute a compartment at the ER-Golgi interface known as ERGIC (Endoplasmic Reticulum Golgi Intermediate Compartment). The ERGIC is a mobile membrane-bound cargo transport system that sorts proteins secreted from ER and delivers them to the Golgi.
With the help of motor proteins such...
With the help of motor proteins such...
2.8K
Overview of Secretory Vesicles
9.1K
Secretory vesicles, also known as dense core vesicles (DCVs), are membrane-bound vesicles that transport secretory proteins, such as hormones or neurotransmitters. Regulated secretory vesicles transport proteins from the trans-Golgi network to the exterior of the cell. Proteins present in regulated secretory vesicles are required to be rapidly exocytosed in large amounts upon a specific stimulus.
Various proteins regulate the aggregation of molecules inside the secretory vesicles. Chromogranins...
Various proteins regulate the aggregation of molecules inside the secretory vesicles. Chromogranins...
9.1K
Exocytosis
72.1K
Exocytosis is used to release material from cells. Like other bulk transport mechanisms, exocytosis requires energy.
72.1K
Exocytosis
8.5K
Exocytosis is a process that releases molecules outside the cell. Like other bulk transport mechanisms, exocytosis requires energy.
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...
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...
8.5K
Clathrin Coated Vesicles
8.4K
Clathrin-coated vesicles use endocytosis to transport receptors and lysosomal hydrolases from the Golgi to the lysosome in the late secretory pathway. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis was the first described endocytic process, and Clathrin-coated vesicles remain one of the most well-studied transport vesicles. The molecular machinery that generates clathrin-coated vesicles comprises over 50 proteins that precisely coordinate vesicle formation. Cell surface receptors concentrated in indented sites...
8.4K

