Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2025
09:36
Direct Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy of Extracellular Vesicles in Three Dimensions
Published on: August 26, 2021
3.7K
Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers in Infectious Diseases
Cinthia Gonzalez Cruz1, Husain M Sodawalla2, Thalachallour Mohanakumar3
1Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
Biology
|February 26, 2025
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) show promise as biomarkers for diagnosing diseases. This review explores their potential in detecting infectious diseases, addressing a gap in current molecular biology approaches.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Sciences
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale vesicles secreted by cells, involved in intercellular communication.
- EV composition reflects the releasing cell's state, making them valuable for disease monitoring.
- Pathogens can manipulate EVs for survival and immune evasion, altering EV profiles during infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent investigations on extracellular vesicles (EVs) in infectious disease studies.
- To highlight the potential of EVs as diagnostic biomarkers for infectious diseases.
- To address the limited literature on using EVs for infectious disease diagnostics via molecular biology.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on EVs and infectious diseases.
- Analysis of EV roles in pathogen interaction and immune response.
- Examination of molecular biology approaches for EV biomarker development.
Main Results:
- EVs can serve as biomarkers due to their ability to reflect cellular conditions and changes during infection.
- Pathogen exploitation of EVs presents opportunities for novel diagnostic strategies.
- Existing molecular biology techniques are being adapted for EV analysis in infectious disease contexts.
Conclusions:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold significant potential as minimally invasive biomarkers for diagnosing infectious diseases.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges and fully leverage EVs for infectious disease diagnostics.
- This review consolidates current knowledge and identifies future research directions in EV-based diagnostics for infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:36Overview of Exosomes
2.7K
Exosomes are stable, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles capable of crossing biological barriers. They can carry a wide range of molecules required for intercellular communication. Once exosomes are released from the cell where they originated, they enter a recipient cell through various pathways such as fusion, receptor-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis.
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...
2.7K
01:38Intralumenal Vesicles and Multivesicular Bodies
3.4K
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...
3.4K