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Exosome

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Synonyms

Extracellular vesicles

Definition

Exosomes are membrane-enclosed vesicles that are derived from the endocytic compartment and released at the plasma membrane into the extracellular space. The plasma membrane is not the source of the lipid bilayer of exosomes; rather, exosomes originate from luminal pinocytosis of early endosomes. These vesicles range from 30 nm to 100 nm in diameter and traffic cargo in an autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine fashion. Exosomes contain a subset of biologically active macromolecules present in the cell: protein, lipids, and multiple RNA species. The composition of exosomal cargo is unique to the producing cells, giving healthy and diseased cells a specific exosomal signature. The trafficking of these molecules into neighboring cells alters their behavior, a process involved in neuronal signaling, fetal development, tissue homeostasis and repair, adaptive immunity, and cancer progression.

Characteristics

Mechanism

In contrast to the shedding of...

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References

  • Lötvall J, Hill AF et al (2014) Minimal experimental requirements for definition of extracellular vesicles and their functions: a position statement from the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles. J Extracell Vesicles 3. doi:10.3402/jev.v3.26913

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See Also

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Correspondence to Peter Kurre .

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Kurre, P., Doron, B. (2015). Exosome. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_7130-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_7130-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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