Extracellular Vesicles as an Endocrine Mechanism Connecting Distant Cells

Abstract

The field of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has expanded tremendously over the last decade. The role of cell-to-cell communication in neighboring or distant cells has been increasingly ascribed to EVs generated by various cells. Initially, EVs were thought to a means of cellular debris or disposal system of unwanted cellular materials that provided an alternative to autolysis in lysosomes. Intercellular exchange of information has been considered to be achieved by well-known systems such as hormones, cytokines, and nervous networks. However, most research in this field has searched for and found evidence to support paracrine or endocrine roles of EV, which inevitably leads to a new concept that EVs are synthesized to achieve their paracrine or endocrine purposes. Here, we attempted to verify the endocrine role of EV production and their contents, such as RNAs and bioactive proteins, from the regulation of biogenesis, secretion, and action mechanisms while discussing the current technical limitations. It will also be important to discuss how blood EV concentrations are regulated as if EVs are humoral endocrine machinery.