Exosomes Therapeutics: Current and Future Perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64229/sbp2tj13Keywords:
Exosomes, Extracellular vesicles, Drug delivery, Regenerative medicine, Diagnostics, Nanomedicine, CRISPR/Cas9Abstract
Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by most cell types and have attracted substantial attention in recent years due to their roles in intercellular communication and their potential as therapeutic platforms. By transporting proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, exosomes participate in diverse physiological and pathological processes. Their endogenous origin, capacity to carry complex biological cargo, and ability to interact with recipient cells have motivated extensive investigation into their use in drug delivery, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine. This review summarizes current knowledge of exosome biogenesis, molecular composition, and mechanisms of action, alongside commonly used isolation and characterization strategies. We further discuss both natural and engineered exosomes, highlighting advances in surface modification, hybrid vesicle construction, and selective cargo loading for the delivery of small-molecule drugs, nucleic acids, and genome-editing tools. Emerging applications across cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and immune-mediated diseases are reviewed, with emphasis on preclinical and early translational studies. Despite significant progress, key challenges remain, including vesicle heterogeneity, limitations in large-scale production and standardization, incomplete understanding of in vivo biodistribution, and evolving safety and regulatory frameworks. Future directions are expected to focus on biomimetic and artificial exosome platforms, including exosome mimetics and hybrid vesicles, integration with enabling technologies such as microfluidics and synthetic biology, and the development of personalized therapeutic strategies. Continued interdisciplinary research and regulatory clarity will be essential to translate exosome-based therapies from bench to bedside.
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