Extracellular vesicles
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are particles with a phospholipid bilayer that are released by cells into their environment. Consequently, body fluids, such as blood and urine, contain numerous EVs. Cells release EVs to communicate with other cells, to transport waste, and to fulfil functions to help the organism surviving, such as enhancing the coagulation of blood. To perform these functions, EVs contain genetic materials, lipids, proteins and sugars. This cargo can be used to reveal the type and state of the parent cell and therefore contains information about the health state of an organ. Thus, EVs in body fluids contain information that can help physicians making better medical decisions. In other words, EVs are biomarkers for diseases.