What Are Exosomes and How Do They Work

Exosomes are microscopic vesicles, 30–150 nanometers in size, that cells release to exchange information with one another. Inside each exosome is a kind of "package": proteins, lipids, microRNA, and DNA fragments. The receiving cell reads this content and changes its behavior — dividing more actively, reducing inflammation, or triggering the repair of damaged tissue. This natural mechanism underlies the regenerative technologies used at the Advmedica clinic.

What an Exosome Is Made Of

An exosome is a vesicle surrounded by a lipid membrane of the same type as an ordinary cell membrane. Inside and on the surface of that membrane is a set of molecules — signaling proteins and enzymes, growth factors, microRNA and messenger RNA, and DNA fragments. This particular set determines what signal the target cell receives and how it responds.

How Exosomes Signal Cells

An exosome travels through the intercellular space and reaches a target cell, where it binds to receptors on the cell's surface. The vesicle's contents then enter the cell, either through membrane fusion or endocytosis. The molecules delivered alter gene activity and protein synthesis in the receiving cell — triggering cell division, reducing inflammation, and accelerating the formation of new blood vessels and the repair of damaged structures.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes

Clinical practice most often uses exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These exosomes carry the same regenerative signal as the stem cells themselves, but without introducing living cells into the patient's body. This removes the risk of uncontrolled cell division and immune reactions to foreign cellular material, while making the dose easier to standardize and prepare ahead of the procedure.

How Exosomes Are Produced and Tested

• Culturing the donor's mesenchymal stem cells under laboratory conditions
• Isolating exosomes from the culture medium via ultracentrifugation and tangential flow filtration
• Purifying and concentrating the resulting product
• Testing for sterility and the absence of pathogens, and re-screening the donor
• Measuring particle size and characteristic surface markers before releasing the batch

Every donor undergoes a medical examination, and every batch of the product passes laboratory quality control before it reaches the clinic.

Where Exosomes Are Used in Medicine

At the Advmedica clinic, mesenchymal stem cell exosomes are used across several areas of application. You can read more about each on its dedicated page:

Why Patients Choose Advmedica

Advmedica has worked with cell and exosome technologies for many years, building an individualized protocol for every patient based on diagnosis, age, and overall health. We support patients at every stage — from the initial consultation and diagnostics through the course of therapy and follow-up care.