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Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Nucleic Acids
https://www.oaepublish.com/evcna

Special Issue introduction

The Special Issue “Extracellular Vesicles in Intercellular Communication and Clinical Applications:
A Decade of Achievements” commemorates the 10th anniversary of Randy W. Schekman, James E.
Rothman and Thomas C. Südhof jointly receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their
groundbreaking work on the “machinery regulating vesicle traffic”. Their early discoveries on the
biogenesis and trafficking of secretory vesicles have laid the foundation for understanding the origins
and functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Initially regarded as a cellular waste disposal mechanism,
EVs are now recognized as critical mediators of intercellular communication - not only in animals, but
also in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Furthermore, EVs have emerged as valuable biomarkers in various
diseases and show promise as vehicles for therapeutic delivery. The EV field has expanded rapidly
over the past decade, advancing both fundamental biological knowledge and clinical applications, from
diagnostics and vaccines to targeted therapies.

This Special Issue features a collection of invited articles by researchers known for their expertise
in the field of extracellular vesicles. It includes a historical overview tracing the evolution from
classical secretory vesicles to today’s cutting-edge EV research. The contributions highlight significant
advancements made over the past ten years, covering topics such as EV biogenesis, secretion, and
uptake; isolation and purification methods; roles in cancer, prion, immune, and neurological diseases;
EVs from bacteria, plants, and fungi; and biomedical applications including diagnostics and engineered
EVs for drug delivery and therapeutics.

Acknowledgments

Ashley Lan Xiao, NIH - cover design;
Cheng Jiang, University of Oxford - image support;
James R. Edgar, University of Cambridge, and the © Institute of Cell Biology, University of Freiburg -
electron micrographs of EVs and SVs, respectively.

Contributors include

Samir El-Andaloussi, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Robert J. Coffey, Vanderbilt University, USA
Roger Innes, Indiana University, USA
Hailin Jin, University of California, Riverside, USA
Y. Peng Loh, NIH, USA
David Lyden, Weill Cornell Medical College, USA
Jacopo Meldolesi, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy
Graca Raposo, Institut Curie, France
David Walt, Harvard University, USA
Inge Zuhorn, University in Groningen, The Netherlands
Chiara Zurzolo, Institut Pasteur, France