Overcome the barriers of the skin: exosome therapy

• Published in: Biomaterials research Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 1 - 22
• Main Authors: Yang, Gi Hoon, Lee, Yoon Bum, Kang, Donggu, Choi, Eunjeong, Nam, Yoonju, Lee, Kyoung Ho, You, Hi-Jin, Kang, Hyo Jin, An, Sang Hyun, Jeon, Hojun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 03.07.2021; BioMed Central; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); 한국생체재료학회
• Subjects: Aging; Atopic dermatitis; Biomarker; Cancer therapies; Care and treatment; Cell culture; Communication; Dermatologic agents; Dermatology; Exosomes; Formulae, receipts, prescriptions; Lipid bilayers; Membrane lipids; MicroRNAs; Nucleic acids; Porous materials; Proteins; Reproducibility; Review; Signal transduction; Skin; Skin defects; Skin treatment; Stem cells; 의공학
• ISSN: 2055-7124; 1226-4601; 2055-7124
• DOI: 10.1186/s40824-021-00224-8

Exosomes are nano-sized cargos with a lipid bilayer structure carrying diverse biomolecules including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. These small vesicles are secreted by most types of cells to communicate with each other. Since exosomes circulate through bodily fluids, they can transfer information not only to local cells but also to remote cells. Therefore, exosomes are considered potential biomarkers for various treatments. Recently, studies have shown the efficacy of exosomes in skin defects such as aging, atopic dermatitis, and wounds. Also, exosomes are being studied to be used as ingredients in commercialized skin treatment products. In this review, we discussed the need for exosomes in skin therapy together with the current challenges. Moreover, the functional roles of exosomes in terms of skin treatment and regeneration are overviewed. Finally, we highlighted the major limitations and the future perspective in exosome engineering.