Exosomes: Isolation, Analysis, and Applications in Cancer Detection and Therapy

Exosomes are cell-derived small extracellular vesicles that are naturally secreted by all types of cells and widely distributed in various biofluids. They carry a variety of key bioactive molecules (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, growth factors, cytokines) from their parent cells and convey them to neighboring or even distant cells through circulation. In recent years, tumor-derived exosomes have attracted great interest from investigators because they actively participate in nearly all aspects of tumor development and facilitate both tumor growth and metastasis through exosome-mediated intercellular communication. The vesicular contents are increasingly considered potential biomarkers for tumor diagnoses and prognosis. With the progress made in isolation and analytical technologies, the functions of exosomes and their contents in tumor development are also becoming clearer. In this review article we describe the recent developments in exosome isolation techniques and analysis of exosomal contents. We also address their applications in cancer detection and therapy.