Exosomal MicroRNAs as Novel Cell-Free Therapeutics in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound vesicles (50-1000 nm) that can be secreted by all cell types. Microvesicles and exosomes are the major subsets of EVs that exhibit the cell-cell communications and pathological functions of human tissues, and their therapeutic potentials. To further understand and engineer EVs for cell-free therapy, current developments in EV biogenesis and secretion pathways are discussed to illustrate the remaining gaps in EV biology. Specifically, microRNAs (miRs), as a major EV cargo that exert promising therapeutic results, are discussed in the context of biological origins, sorting and packing, and preclinical applications in disease progression and treatments. Moreover, advanced detection and engineering strategies for exosomal miRs are also reviewed. This article provides sufficient information and knowledge for the future design of EVs with specific miRs or protein cargos in tissue repair and regeneration.