Extracellular Vesicles in Cell Biology and Medicine

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a new paradigm, both in cell biology and medicine; specifically, the idea that functional content itself may be delivered directly to cells. EVs are cell-derived membranous structures that work as intercellular communicators exerting their function by transporting their cargo that includes nucleic acids, proteins and lipids. EVs play an essential role in normal physiology, but also in pathological communication, for instance, in cancer, EVs are thought to deliver oncogenic molecules (such as proteins, peptides, RNAs ... ) to neighboring cells, enhancing propagation of neoplastic cells. Not surprisingly, EV research has become common-place in every field of biomedicine, being explored as diagnostics and therapeutics. This Collection gathers original Articles that investigate the application of extracellular vesicles on diagnostics and therapeutics, and that report advances in the knowledge of EV biology and the methodological tools for their study.