KEITH KASNOT
Secreted vesicles known as exosomes were first discovered nearly 30 years ago. But, considered little more than garbage cans whose job was to discard unwanted cellular components, these small vesicles remained little studied for the next decade. Over the past few years, however, evidence has begun to accumulate that these dumpsters also act as messengers, actually conveying information to distant tissues. Exosomes contain cell-specific payloads of proteins, lipids, and genetic material that are transported to other cells, where they alter function and physiology.
Two years ago, I began receiving daily e-mails requesting reprints of my articles on exosomes, details on experimental protocols, and advice on the purification and characterization of the vesicles. Having studied exosomes for more than 10 years, I thought I knew all ...
