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Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Labeling of Extracellular Vesicles for Monitoring Migration and Uptake in Cartilage Explants
Published on: October 4, 2021
Update on the role of extracellular vesicles in rheumatoid arthritis
Hai-Bing Miao1, Fang Wang1, Shu Lin2,3
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China.
Abstract:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder that leads to severe joint deformities, negatively affecting the patient's quality of life. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include exosomes and ectosomes, act as intercellular communication mediators in several physiological and pathological processes in various diseases including RA. In contrast, EVs secreted by mesenchymal stem cells perform an immunomodulatory function and stimulate cartilage repair, showing promising therapeutic results in animal models of RA. EVs from other sources, including dendritic cells, neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, also influence the biological function of immune and joint cells. This review describes the role of EVs in the pathogenesis of RA and presents evidence supporting future studies on the therapeutic potential of EVs from different sources. This information will contribute to a better understanding of RA development, as well as a starting point for exploring cell-free-based therapies for RA.
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