Exophers to feed them all

Abstract

Cells release extracellular vesicles to remove damaged components and communicate with other cells via packets of proteins, lipids, and RNAs. Neuronal cells in the nematode C. elegans release particularly large extracellular vesicles, known as exophers, to rid themselves of damaged organelles and protein aggregates. Turek et al now demonstrate a new role for these vesicles: Embryos in the uterus stimulate body wall muscle cells to release exophers laden with yolk, which are taken up by oocytes to nourish the next set of embryos (Turek et al, 2021).

Figure 1. C. elegans hermaphrodite with body wall muscle‐derived exophers

Diagram of the body plan of the C. elegans hermaphrodite highlighting the body wall muscle (purple) and bi‐lobed gonad (black), with oocytes, spermatheca, and embryos in the shared uterus as indicated. Exophers (green) bud from the body wall muscle cells (see inset), are taken up by oocytes, and nourish the developing embryos.