Non-invasive cell culture monitoring technology is crucial to improve the manufacturing efficiency of cell products. We have found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted into the culture supernatants in the differentiation process from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to dopaminergic progenitor cells, and that the composition of EVs changes in accordance with the differentiation processes. In this study, we hypothesized that it is possible to evaluate the cultured cellular states by detecting compositional changes of EVs secreted from cultured cells with label-free Raman spectroscopy in a non-invasive manner. Therefore, Raman signal analysis derived from EV fractions isolated from culture supernatants throughout the differentiation process was conducted. iPSCs cultures were simultaneously implemented under a standard condition (control) and an artificial deviation condition inducing reductions in pluripotency by depleting FGF2 in culture medium (-FGF2), which is indispensable for maintaining the pluripotency. Subsequently, the differentiation step was conducted for each iPSCs culture under the same condition. As a result, it was found that under -FGF2, the expression level of the pluripotency marker NANOG decreased compared to that of the control and correlated with the identification results based on Raman signals with a correlation coefficient of 0.77. Lipid-derived Raman signals were extracted as identification factors, suggesting that changes in the lipid component of EV occur depending on the cellular states. From the above, we have found that the change in composition of EVs in the culture supernatant by detecting Raman signals would be a monitoring index of the cellular state of differentiation and pluripotency.

Glioblastoma is a highly heterogeneous tumor whose pathophysiological complexities dictate both the diagnosis of disease severity as well as response to therapy. Conventional diagnostic tools and standard treatment regimens have only managed to achieve limited success in the management of patients suspected of glioblastoma. Extracellular vesicles are an emerging liquid biopsy tool that has shown great promise in resolving the limitations presented by the heterogeneous nature of glioblastoma. Here we discuss the contrasting yet interdependent dual role of extracellular vesicles as communication agents that contribute to the progression of glioblastoma by creating a heterogeneous microenvironment and as a liquid biopsy tool providing an opportunity to accurately identify the disease severity and progression.

Exosomes are lipid bilayer vesicles, 30-200 nm in diameter, that are produced by cells and play essential roles in cell-cell communication. Exosomes have been studied in several medical fields including dermatology. Hair loss, a major disorder that affects people and sometimes causes mental stress, urgently requires more effective treatment. Because the growth and cycling of hair follicles are governed by interactions between hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and dermal papilla cells (DPCs), a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for hair growth and cycling through exosomes may provide new insights into novel treatments for hair loss. In this review, we focused on the comprehensive knowledge and recent studies on exosomes in the field of hair development and regeneration. We classified exosomes of several cellular origins for the treatment of hair loss. Exosomes and their components, such as microRNAs, are promising drugs for effective hair loss treatment.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-delimited vesicular bodies carrying different molecules, classified according to their size, density, cargo, and origin. Research on this topic has been actively growing through the years, as EVs are associated with critical pathological processes such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Despite that, studies exploring the physiological functions of EVs are sparse, with particular emphasis on their role in organismal development, initial cell differentiation, and morphogenesis. In this review, we explore the topic of EVs from a developmental perspective, discussing their role in the earliest cell-fate decisions and neural tissue morphogenesis. We focus on the function of EVs through development to highlight possible conserved or novel processes that can impact disease progression. Specifically, we take advantage of what was learned about their role in development so far to discuss EVs impact on glioblastoma, a particular brain tumor of stem-cell origin and poor prognosis, and how their function can be hijacked to improve current therapies.