Extracellular Vesicles and Cell Communication in Eukaryotic Microorganisms

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by virtually all cells in normal and in pathological conditions. They exhibit diverse sizes, contents, and surface markers. These vesicles transport cellular components such as proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, DNA, and lipids across distances, influencing numerous physiological and pathological events, and they are involved in cellular communication, making EVs promising candidates as therapeutic agents, drug delivery systems, and disease biomarkers. In the context of eukaryotic pathogens, these EVs can be taken up by the parasite and the interacting mammalian cells, influencing parasite behavior (e.g., differentiation, infectivity) and host responses that affect pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss classical and new discoveries related to EVs produced by different cell types, including those involved in the interaction process of eukaryotic microorganisms with their respective hosts.