Cartilage has a low regenerative capacity that makes the treatment of cartilage damage challenging. Stem cell therapy can be the solution to that. Stem cell is known for its advantages in cell-based therapies. Recent studies have attributed the value of stem cells to their paracrine factors via extracellular vesicles (EVs) such as exosomes. Exosomes that function in cell communication have the potential to be used in the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage. However, the delivery strategy for their use as a targeted therapeutic agent is challenging. Therefore, Prof. Anggraini Barlian and her colleagues attempted to provide information about EVs, current studies on the potential use of EVs/exosomes for cartilage regeneration, and therapeutic strategies for using EVs as well as their limitations. This research found EVs have the potential to treat cartilage damage by restoring cartilage homeostasis. For therapeutic strategies, the selection of parental cells is crucial due to the heterogeneity of EVs content and loading biomaterials could optimize their effectiveness in cartilage repair. There are limitations of EVs for large-scale production because it will be challenging to isolate EVs with high purity. Therefore, to be clinically applicable, the standardization of EV products must be considered.

Article Citation:
Amsar, R. M., Wijaya, C. H., Ana, I. D., Hidajah, A. C., Notobroto, H. B., Kencana Wungu, T. D., & Barlian, A. (2022). Extracellular vesicles: a promising cell-free therapy for cartilage repair. Future Science OA, 8(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.2144/fsoa-2021-0096

Image:
Future Science Journal Cover (Source: https://www.future-science.com/loi/fso)
Cell Therapy (Source: https://stock.adobe.com/)

Profile of Prof. Anggraini Barlian:
https://sith.itb.ac.id/dr-Anggraini-Barlian/