Exosomes, derived from specific cell types, hold tremendous potential for understanding intrinsic disease-related pathways and offer biomarker identification opportunities and targeted therapeutic interventions. Even though the exosomes have tremendous applications, the practical mechanistic details of isolation and characterization are crucial and may compromise the utility of the desired approach. The ultracentrifugation is still considered the gold standard for exosome isolation, but the non-availability of any universally accepted methodology for isolation of exosomes from limited sample amounts and downstream validation of their source origin presents unique challenges. The heterogeneity of extracellular vesicles, regulation of EV biogenesis and uptake of EVs by the targeted cells are also some of the important issues in the EV field that are being extensively investigated by the world scientific community. Current knowledge on these topics will benefit the scientific community to understand the nature of EVs and their functions. Therefore this research topic is aimed not only on the various applications of exosomes but also on the development of novel methods for their isolation and characterization.
For this Research Topic, the editors invite authors to submit Original Research articles that provide novel insights into the field of exosomes/extracellular vesicle biology, including but not limited to:
• Identification, isolation, and characterization of exosomes/extracellular vesicles
• Roles of exosomes in intercellular communications, therapeutic applications targeting any specific disease
• Utilization of exosomes as a potential source of disease biomarkers and as a vehicle for drug delivery.
• Exosome biogenesis.
The editors also encourage authors to submit Review Articles highlighting recent findings/advancements in the above-discussed areas.
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