Do different exosome biogenesis pathways and selective cargo enrichment contribute to exosomal heterogeneity?

Exosomes are emerging intercellular communicators essential for cellular homeostasis during development and differentiation. The dysregulation in exosome-mediated communication alters cellular networking leads to developmental defects and chronic diseases. Exosomes are heterogeneous in nature depending on differences in size, membrane protein abundance, and differential cargo load. In this review, we have highlighted the latest developments in exosome biogenesis pathways, heterogeneity, and selective enrichment of various exosomal cargoes including proteins, nucleic acids, and mitochondrial DNA. Furthermore, the recent developments in the isolation techniques of exosome subpopulations have also been discussed. The comprehensive knowledge of extracellular vesicle (EV) heterogeneity and selective cargo enrichment during specific pathology may provide a clue for disease severity and early prognosis possibilities. The release of specific exosome subtypes is associated with the progression of specific disease type and hence a probable tool for therapeutics and biomarker development.