Research progress of exosome biosensors

Abstract

At present, cancer is still an important cause of high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis has become the key to improving the cure rate and life quality of patients. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that play important roles in intercellular communication. Exosomes contain a variety of biomarkers, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and metabolites, which reflect the state of the parent cell. Since exosomes affect tumorigenesis and metastasis in cancer patients, they are excellent non-invasive potential indicators for early cancer detection. In addition, the growing understanding of the structure and function of cancer marker exosomes provides new solutions for early cancer detection. Nowadays, the main cancer screening methods (ultrasound, nuclear magnetic resonance, tissue biopsy, etc.) are expensive, time-consuming, and require professionals to operate imaging, etc. Exosome biosensors have become effective tools for early cancer diagnosis due to their advantages of simple operation and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, based on the structure and function of exosomes, this study summarizes the research progress of different types of biosensor detection, discusses the characteristics of current biosensors, and looks forward to future research trends.