Emerging Biomimetic Drug Delivery Nanoparticles Inspired by Extracellular Vesicles

Nanoparticles (NPs) made up of cellular components such as extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a biomimetic outlook have emerged as a revolutionary approach in nanomedicine, providing significant benefits for targeted drug administration, immunotherapy, monitoring therapeutic response, and diagnostic applications. Utilizing the distinctive characteristics of natural cell membranes, membrane proteins, and cellular contents, these biomimetic NPs acquire essential biological functions from their source and biogenesis, including immune evasion, extended circulation, and target recognition, rendering them optimal candidates for therapeutic applications. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the methodologies of EVs infused with synthetic NP systems with the goal of overcoming their respective shortcomings. For instance, EVs are biogenic with cellular targeting features, but their isolation yield is limited, and their structural and colloidal stability are weak. Whereas, we have decades of experience in the mass production of highly stable synthetic NPs, they lack cellular targeting features. Therefore, the integration of these two systems as a single entity in the field of nanomedicine has gained significant attention. In this review, we emphasized the variety of EVs sources, such as erythrocytes, leukocytes, cancer cells, and stem cells, each providing unique biological benefits. Critical procedures encompassing EV's separation, coating processes, and material integration were examined while addressing the issues, including scalability, membrane stability, and preservation of functionality. Additionally, their promise in customized medicine is analyzed, highlighting their immediate medical applications. This review seeks to elucidate the existing methodologies, their constraints, and prospective advancements in the creation of EV-derived biomimetic NPs for clinical use. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.