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Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Evaluation of the Storage Stability of Extracellular Vesicles
Published on: May 22, 2019
The role of extracellular vesicles in kidney disease progression
Ran Kim1, Tae Min Kim1,2
1Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized membranous particles released by nearly all cell types, playing a crucial role in mediating cell-to-cell communication. The molecular profile of EVs often reflects that of their originating cells, rendering them valuable for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. The kidney comprises various cell types, and urinary EVs are predominantly produced from tubular, glomerular, and urinary bladder cells. Within the nephron, EVs produced from the upper segments, such as glomerular tufts and proximal tubules, can be taken up by their downstream counterparts, thereby altering the physiology of recipient cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that this proximal-distal intra-nephron crosstalk via EVs is crucial for normal kidney physiology. Additionally, EVs from interstitial cells (e.g., fibroblasts and macrophages) have been demonstrated to mediate the exacerbation of kidney damage. This review provides up-to-date findings on the function of renal EVs during the progression of renal diseases. Furthermore, we discussed future directions to use the clinical potential of renal EVs as an early biomarker for renal disorders.
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