Historically, small molecules, including steroid hormones and cytokines, have been attributed a role in paracrine and endocrine signaling, and now include a new player: biological nanoparticles, or ‘exosomes’. Generated intracellularly, and defined simply as nanoparticulate packages of signaling moieties, exosomes have emerged as vehicles for highly specialized local and distant intercellular communication. Exosomes are increasingly being recognized as contributing factors in many diseases, and their potential as biomarkers and in therapeutics is rapidly emerging. This review highlights recent advances in the exploitation of exosomes in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. We discuss various facets of nanoparticles, namely the isolation and manipulation of exosomes, the construction of synthetic exosome-like particles in vivo, and their potential use in the treatment of various diseases.

从历史上看，包括类固醇激素和细胞因子在内的小分子被认为在旁分泌和内分泌信号传导中发挥作用，现在包括一个新的参与者：生物纳米颗粒或“外泌体”。外泌体在细胞内产生，简单地定义为信号部分的纳米颗粒包，已成为高度专业化的局部和远距离细胞间通讯的载体。外泌体越来越多地被认为是许多疾病的促成因素，它们作为生物标志物和治疗的潜力正在迅速显现。本综述重点介绍了在诊断和治疗应用中利用外泌体的最新进展。我们讨论了纳米颗粒的各个方面，即外泌体的分离和操作，合成外泌体样颗粒的构建体内，以及它们在治疗各种疾病中的潜在用途。