Mechanism of Stem Cell Exosome
There are tiny vesicles called "exosomes" inside and outside stem cells. Exosomes were discovered in 1983 and have been studied in the field of life sciences. In 1996, it was discovered that exosomes have the function of transporting substances to other cells, and in 2007, it was revealed that exosomes contain a large amount of genetic replication information (microRNA). This microRNA contains important information, and this information is considered the key to the effects of stem cells. Additionally, exosomes function as intercellular communication and messaging tools.
According to research from UC San Diego, "stem cells show similar pharmacological effects even if they are denucleated," suggesting that the pharmacological action of stem cells lies in extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes. Furthermore, exosomes are natural from cells and are already present in large quantities in the human body, so they have fewer side effects. This recognizes the superiority of exosomes compared to cell therapy. In the medical field, they are already applied to new diagnostic methods using body fluids, and future applications in regenerative medicine are expected.