Vesicle

Receptor

Mesenchymal stem cell

Microvesicles

Membrane

Biology

Gene

Regenerative medicine

microRNA

Exosome

Stem cell

Extracellular

Microvesicle

Extracellular vesicle

Cell biology

Extracellular vesicles

Biochemistry

Paracrine signalling

Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that have gained significant attention in the field of regenerative medicine. The differentiation potential along with paracrine properties of MSCs have made them a key option for tissue repair. The paracrine functions of MSCs are applied through secreting soluble factors and releasing extracellular vesicles like exosomes and microvesicles. Extracellular vesicles are predominantly endosomal in origin and contain a cargo of miRNA, mRNA, and proteins that are transferred from their original cells to target cells. Recently it has emerged that extracellular vesicles alone are responsible for the therapeutic effect of MSCs in plenty of animal diseases models. Hence, MSC-derived extracellular vesicles may be used as an alternative MSC-based therapy in regenerative medicine. In this review we discuss MSC-derived extracellular vesicles and their therapeutic potential in various diseases.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles: novel frontiers in regenerative medicine