Microneedle-mediated exosome delivery: a precision strategy in advanced regenerative medicine

In recent years, the application of microneedle delivery systems for extracellular vesicle therapy has emerged as a novel approach in regenerative medicine, particularly for enhancing tissue repair and regeneration. This review delves into the mechanisms through which extracellular vesicles facilitate trauma repair and tissue engineering. Therapeutic effects can be substantially improved by incorporating specific functional RNAs or proteins into exosomes. Microneedle delivery systems offer innovative solutions for overcoming the limitations of traditional extracellular vesicle delivery methods, such as low bioavailability and poor targeting. Microneedles can bypass the stratum corneum barrier of the skin to achieve efficient transdermal delivery and can be engineered through various ways, including dissolving, coating, and hollow designing, to meet the requirements of different applications. This review also examines the challenges and future prospects of microneedle-based delivery systems for extracellular vesicles. Although several successful case reports have been made, ensuring the quality of extracellular vesicles, improving the consistency in large-scale production, and high production costs remain critical issues. In conclusion, extracellular vesicle delivery via microneedles holds great promise for application in regenerative medicine and is expected to be widely applied in clinical practice in the future.