Olesya Gusachenko

Exosomes or, more broadly, small extracellular vesicles are produced by all cells. They contain an array of biologically active molecules by which exosomes can influence the extracellular environment and affect the properties of other cells. Recognition of their biological role has come a long way from the mere function in the disposal of cellular waste to a concept of universal intercellular vehicle mediating near and long-distance communication in normal and pathological states. As a result, in recent years exosomes have gained much interest in their potential exploitation for therapeutic use. This short review is aimed at presenting a brief exploration of the history of exosome recognition coupled with a snapshot of newly developing exosome-based technologies, touching upon some recent achievements and examples of application.