Endosome

Gene

Optics

Physics

Cancer

Vesicle

Biogenesis

ESCRT

microRNA

Crosstalk

Microvesicles

Exosome

Extracellular

Extracellular vesicle

Extracellular vesicles

Membrane

Genetics

Biochemistry

Carcinogenesis

Intracellular

Biology

Cell biology

Cancer cell

Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are heterogeneous multi-signal messengers that support cancer growth and dissemination by mediating the tumor-stroma crosstalk. Exosomes are a subtype of EVs that originate from the limiting membrane of late endosomes, and as such contain information linked to both the intrinsic cell "state" and the extracellular signals cells received from their environment. Resolving the signals affecting exosome biogenesis, cargo sorting and release will increase our understanding of tumorigenesis. In this review we highlight key cell biological processes that couple exosome biogenesis to cargo sorting in cancer cells. Moreover, we discuss how the bidirectional communication between tumor and non-malignant cells affect cancer growth and metastatic behavior.

Biogenesis and function of extracellular vesicles in cancer