Author(s)
Om vivek khedwan
- Manuscript ID: 140250
- Volume: 2
- Issue: 6
- Pages: 60–73
Subject Area: Other
Abstract
Exosomes are nano-sized (30–150 nm) membrane-enclosed extracellular vesicles secreted by virtually all cell types. Initially regarded as cellular waste-disposal systems, exosomes have emerged as key mediators of intercellular communication, capable of transferring proteins, lipids, mRNAs, miRNAs, and DNA between cells both locally and systemically. Their unique biophysical properties, including biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, natural tropism, and ability to traverse biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier, position them as transformative tools across multiple clinical domains.
This review synthesizes current evidence on exosome biology and comprehensively evaluates their clinical applications spanning oncology (as liquid biopsy biomarkers, tumor microenvironment regulators, and drug delivery carriers), cardiovascular medicine, neurology, regenerative medicine, infectious disease, and immunotherapy. We also address the technical and regulatory challenges impeding clinical translation, including standardization of isolation protocols, scalable manufacturing, and quality control. With over 200 registered clinical trials, exosome-based diagnostics and therapeutics represent one of the most rapidly advancing frontiers in precision medicine.