Exosomes in Wound Healing: Biological Roles and Mechanistic Insights

Wound healing is a dynamic and complex biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. While traditional wound care promotes tissue closure, it often results in fibrosis and scarring. Recent advances have identified exosomes – nanosized extracellular vesicles secreted by various cell types – as critical regulators of intercellular communication during wound healing. These vesicles carry a diverse cargo of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that modulate immune responses, stimulate angiogenesis, promote extracellular matrix remodeling, and influence cellular behavior across different healing phases. This review provides a mechanistic overview of how exosomes impact the biology of wound healing, from their biogenesis and molecular composition to their functional roles in cellular crosstalk, with a focus on their therapeutic relevance in enhancing regenerative outcomes.