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Review
. 2021 Jul 3;25(1):22.
doi: 10.1186/s40824-021-00224-8.

Overcome the barriers of the skin: exosome therapy

Gi Hoon Yang #  1 , Yoon Bum Lee #  2 , Donggu Kang  1 , Eunjeong Choi  1 , Yoonju Nam  1 , Kyoung Ho Lee  2 , Hi-Jin You  3 , Hyo Jin Kang  4 , Sang Hyun An  5 , Hojun Jeon  6
Affiliations
Review

Overcome the barriers of the skin: exosome therapy

Gi Hoon Yang et al. Biomater Res. .

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Biomarker; Exosomes; Skin defects; Skin treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematical illustration of the exosome biogenesis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Human skin anatomy showing the three layers: epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The structures of the skin before and after aging
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Illustration of immune pathways and the corresponding responses in atopic dermatitis process
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Wound healing process including the four stages
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Schematic representation showing skin regenerative abilities of exosomes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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