Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Roles in Neurological Disorders

Figure 1

Biosynthesis, secretion, uptake, and components of exosomes. Exosome biosynthesis begins in the endosomal pathway. The cytoplasmic membrane invaginates to form early sorting endosomes (ESEs) that could mature into late sorting endosomes (LSEs), and the membrane of LSEs invaginates to form multivesicular bodies (MVBs) that contain several intraluminal vesicles (ILVs). MVBs can fuse with the plasma membrane to secret ILVs as exosomes or fuse with lysosomes to be degraded. Exosomes transfer specific proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites to receptor cells by endocytosis, receptor-ligand interaction, and direct membrane fusion.