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Fig. 1 | Cancer Cell International

Fig. 1

From: Early diagnosis of breast and ovarian cancers by body fluids circulating tumor-derived exosomes

Fig. 1

Biogenesis, structure, release, and uptake of exosomes. a Exosome biogenesis starts with inward budding of the plasma membrane (endocytosis) and the formation of early endosomes. Subsequently, incorporation of cytosolic proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids into the endosomes leads to the formation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Finally, MVBs fuse with the plasma membrane through RabGTPases pathway and exosomes are released into the extracellular space. b Exosomes are enriched by multiple families of proteins, including tetraspannins (CD9, CD63, CD81, CD82), heat shock proteins (Hsc70, Hsp 90, Hsp70, Hsp60), membrane trafficking proteins (Rabs, Annexins), proteins involved in MVBs biogenesis (Alix, TSG101, Clathrin), metabolic enzymes (GAPDH, ATPase, PGK1), cytoskeletal proteins (actin, vimentin, cofilin, tublin, talin), lipid rafts, such as cholesterol, flotillins, ceramides, sphingolipids, DNA, RNA species (mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs) and tumor-specific markers. c Once exosomes are released into the extracellular space, they can interact with recipient cells via direct fusion, endocytosis or receptor-ligand interactions

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