Abstract:

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cellderived lipid bilayer membrane vesicles. As increasingly exemplified in the literature, distant cells can exchange information by sending out signals, via EVs stuffed with a selection of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, such as mRNA, microRNA and plasmid DNA. EVs also target recipient cells by bearing specific intercellular adherent molecules. Up taking EVs leads to modification of cell function and extracellular matrix. This review covers some of the most striking functions described for EVs in intercellular communication but also presents the limitations on our knowledge of their physiological roles.

Key words: extracellular vesicles, intercellular communication, exosomes, microRNA