Extracellular Vesicles: Advanced Tools for Disease Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Therapies

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures released by cells into their surrounding environment, facilitating intercellular communication through the transfer of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These vesicles can be found in various body fluids, including blood, urine, saliva, and breast milk, between others. Due to their complexity, standardized methodologies are essential for isolating EVs with consistency and purity, enabling their application in diagnostics, therapy, and research. These EVs hold significant promise in advancing disease diagnosis and treatment, particularly in personalized and precision medicine. This review provides an updated overview of EVs, focusing on their functions, diagnostic and therapeutic applications, and the challenges in their clinical translation. Practical strategies to address these challenges are also discussed, aiming to bridge the gap between EV research and its implementation in healthcare