Topic: Extracellular Vesicles in Translational Medicine: From Biomarkers to Clinical Application

It has become evident that extracellular vesicles are fundamental for cell-to-cell communication, contributing to various physiological and pathological conditions. These vesicles are particles enclosed by a lipid bilayer and released by almost all cell types into several biological fluids. They have gained considerable attention for their ability to transport a variety of bioactive molecules such as nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins over both short and long distances. Recent interest has also focused on their utility as liquid biopsy biomarkers for diagnosis, disease recurrence, and monitoring response to treatments in a wide range of diseases. Furthermore, owing to their low toxicity, high biocompatibility, and low immunogenicity, these particles are considered promising drug delivery vectors in cancer treatment. 

Considering this growing field of research, this Special Issue invites submissions including, but not limited to:

● Evaluation of extracellular vesicles and their cargo as potential predictive/diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers;

● Potential use of extracellular vesicles as vehicles for drug delivery;

● Role of extracellular vesicles in disease development;

● Advances in the isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles;

● Extracellular vesicles as therapeutic targets.