Exosomes for Intramyocardial Intercellular Communication

Figure 1

Biogenesis of exosomes. Exosomes are formed in the late endosomal compartment. They contain proteins from coated pits/lipid rafts in the cellular membrane, proteins directly sorted to the MVBs from RER and GC, mRNA, microRNA, and DNA. Exosomes are generated by inward budding of the limiting membrane of MVB, thus preserving the same orientation and folding of membrane-bound proteins on the exosomal membrane as those on the plasma membrane. The MVBs containing the exosomes either fuse with the plasma membrane to release exosomes or are sent to lysosomes for degradation (GC, Golgi complex; MVB, multivesicular body; and RER, rough endoplasmic reticulum).