Techniques for increasing the yield of stem cell-derived exosomes: what factors may be involved?

Exosomes are nano-scale extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and constitute an important part in the cell-cell communication. The main contents of the exosomes include proteins, microRNAs, and lipids. The mechanism and safety of stem cell-derived exosomes have rendered them a promising therapeutic strategy for regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, limited yield has restrained full explication of their functions and clinical applications To address this, various attempts have been made to explore the up- and down-stream manipulations in a bid to increase the production of exosomes. This review has recapitulated factors which may influence the yield of stem cell-derived exosomes, including selection and culture of stem cells, isolation and preservation of the exosomes, and development of artificial exosomes.