Abstract

Exosomes were first described as waste carriers implicated in reticulocyte maturation but has during the past decade been associated with many other cellular functions. The biogenesis of exosomes has been extensively studied and several protein machineries have been identified to dictate their production and release. The newly discovered branches of the autophagy system implicate secretion of waste in endosomal-derived vesicles as is thought for exosome release. Many of the proteins that have been identified as responsible for the formation and release of these vesicles are the same as those identified in exosome biogenesis. In this Perspective, we discuss the possibility of exosomes being a part of the autophagy machinery and the consequences this could have on interpretation of exosome functions.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.