Exosomes: Their Composition, Biological Functions and Potential for Transport of Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

Intercellular communication, which is vital in organisms, is carried out in many different ways. Extracellular vesicles carry cell-specific substances such as DNA, RNA and proteins, taking part in long-distance communication. Extracellular vesicles are divided into three groups as apoptosis, microvesicle and exosome according to their size and formation. The fact that exosomes can be obtained from all body fluids and contain some important biomarkers used in the understanding of diseases has led to an increase in interest in exosomes by revealing the idea of being used in the diagnosis of diseases. In addition, the immunizing roles of dendritic cell-derived exosomes demonstrate the therapeutic utility of exosomes. Differential centrifugation, immunoaffinity, ultrafiltration and polymer-based precipitation are among the most commonly used methods for obtaining exosomes from animal and plant sources. Although exosomes are generally the subject of cell biology and biomedical, recent studies have shown that exosomes contain promising results in food and agriculture. Exosomes are better tolerated by the body as it is formed by all body cells, resembles the cell membrane in structure and content, and can cross complex barriers such as blood-brain. Thus, literature data suggest that transport of bioactive compounds by exosomes may be an alternative solution to nanoparticles having disadvantages such as immune reactions, toxicity, need for modification and artificially synthesized. The aim of this review is to evaluate the properties, functions and role of bioactive compounds in exosomes that have attracted attention in the field of food science in recent years.