Department of Craniofacial Biology, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2012 Mar-Apr;3(2):286-93. doi: 10.1002/wrna.115. Epub 2011 Oct 19.
Multicellular organisms are similar to biological communities, consisting of various cell types; thus, inter-cell communication is critical for the functioning of the whole system that ultimately constitutes a living being. Conventional models of cellular exchange include signaling molecules and direct contact-mediated cell communications. Exosomes, small vesicles originating from an inward budding of the plasma membrane, represent a new avenue for signaling between cells. This interchange is achieved by packaging RNA species into exosomes endowed with specific cell surface-targeting motifs. The delivered RNA molecules are functional, and mRNA can be translated into new proteins, while microRNAs (miRNAs) target host mRNAs in the recipient cell. RNA involved in transmitting information or molecules between cells is called exosomal RNA (esRNA). This review summarizes the characteristics of exosomes, specifically focusing on their role in the horizontal transfer of cellular information.
多细胞生物类似于生物群落，由各种细胞类型组成；因此，细胞间的通讯对于整个系统的功能至关重要，而整个系统最终构成了一个生物体。细胞交换的传统模型包括信号分子和直接接触介导的细胞通讯。外泌体是起源于质膜向内出芽的小囊泡，代表了细胞间信号传递的新途径。这种交换是通过将 RNA 种类包装到具有特定细胞表面靶向基序的外泌体中来实现的。递送到受体细胞的 RNA 分子是有功能的，mRNA 可以翻译成新的蛋白质，而 microRNAs (miRNAs) 则靶向受体细胞中的宿主 mRNA。在细胞间传递信息或分子的 RNA 称为外泌体 RNA（esRNA）。本综述总结了外泌体的特征，特别关注其在细胞信息水平转移中的作用。
