The Center for Living Technologies (CLT) is part of the EWUU alliance between four institutions: Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University and Research, Utrecht University, University Medical Center Utrecht. This Center mobilizes and integrates complementary expertise in the area of (molecular) life sciences leading to robust technological innovations. Recently, they have published an interesting paper on exosome secretion: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202112032
‘Exosomes are endosome-derived extracellular vesicles involved in intercellular communication. They are generated as intraluminal vesicles within endosomal compartments that fuse with the plasma membrane (PM). The molecular events that generate secretory endosomes and lead to the release of exosomes are not well understood. We identified a subclass of non-proteolytic endosomes at prelysosomal stage as the compartment of origin of CD63 positive exosomes. These compartments undergo a Rab7a/Arl8b/Rab27a GTPase cascade to fuse with the PM. Dynamic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-late endosome (LE) membrane contact sites (MCS) through ORP1L have the distinct capacity to modulate this process by affecting LE motility, maturation state, and small GTPase association. Thus, exosome secretion is a multi-step process regulated by GTPase switching and MCS, highlighting the ER as a new player in exosome-mediated intercellular communication.’
Want to know more about the Center: visit their website: https://livingtechnologies.ewuu.nl/
