Hong Seongje, Jo Hyun Chul, Kim Hye-Lin, Kim Hyeonah, Lee Jangwoo, Jeon Juhyeong, Rhim Jiho, Rhee Siyeon, Park Jinbong, Chung Yoon Hee, Jung Kyung Oh
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
BMB Rep. 2025 Aug;58(8):340-349.
Exosomes-nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted by various cell types-play a crucial role in intercellular communication by delivering biologically active molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Due to their intrinsic biocompatibility, targeting capabilities, and stability, exosomes have emerged as promising vehicles for diagnostics and therapeutics in a wide range of diseases, including cancer, and neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and autoimmune disorders. The ability to monitor exosome biodistribution and dynamics in vivo is pivotal to promoting their clinical translation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current visualization techniques employed for in vivo exosome imaging: optical imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and emerging modalities, such as photoacoustic imaging, ultrasound, and Raman-based approaches. The advantages, limitations, and representative applications of each imaging modality are critically discussed, with emphasis on labeling strategies that enhance tracking sensitivity and specificity. Optical imaging offers high sensitivity, but is limited by shallow tissue penetration, whereas MRI provides excellent spatial resolution, but suffers from low molecular sensitivity. Radionuclide-based imaging, such as PET and SPECT, enables highly sensitive, quantitative tracking, but presents challenges regarding radiotracer stability and safety. Emerging multimodal platforms and labeling innovations are highlighted for their potential to overcome current limitations. Future research directions include the development of non-invasive, highly sensitive, and clinically translatable imaging systems, as well as standardized protocols to ensure reproducibility. Advances in exosome imaging technologies will be instrumental to unlock the full diagnostic and therapeutic potential of exosomebased platforms in precision medicine. [BMB Reports 2025; 58(8): 340-349].
外泌体——由各种细胞类型分泌的纳米级细胞外囊泡——通过传递生物活性分子（如蛋白质、核酸和脂质）在细胞间通讯中发挥关键作用。由于其固有的生物相容性、靶向能力和稳定性，外泌体已成为包括癌症、神经退行性疾病、心血管疾病和自身免疫性疾病在内的多种疾病诊断和治疗的有前景的载体。监测外泌体在体内的生物分布和动态的能力对于促进其临床转化至关重要。本综述全面概述了目前用于体内外泌体成像的可视化技术：光学成像、磁共振成像（MRI）、单光子发射计算机断层扫描（SPECT）、正电子发射断层扫描（PET）以及新兴模式，如光声成像、超声和基于拉曼的方法。批判性地讨论了每种成像模式的优点、局限性和代表性应用，重点是提高跟踪灵敏度和特异性的标记策略。光学成像具有高灵敏度，但受限于组织穿透深度浅，而MRI提供出色的空间分辨率，但分子灵敏度低。基于放射性核素的成像，如PET和SPECT，能够进行高度灵敏、定量的跟踪，但在放射性示踪剂的稳定性和安全性方面存在挑战。突出了新兴的多模态平台和标记创新克服当前局限性的潜力。未来的研究方向包括开发非侵入性、高灵敏度和临床可转化的成像系统，以及确保可重复性的标准化方案。外泌体成像技术的进步将有助于释放基于外泌体的平台在精准医学中的全部诊断和治疗潜力。[《BMB报告》2025年；58(8): 340 - 349]
