Table 1.
Distinguishing ApoEVs from exosomes and microvesicles (simplified)
| Feature | Exosomes | Microvesicles (ectosomes) | ApoEVs (apoptosis-derived EVs) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biogenesis/origin | Endosomal (MVB) release | Plasma-membrane budding | Apoptotic disassembly (blebbing/apoptopodia; fragmentation) | [27] |
| Typical size (diameter) | ~ 30–150 nm | ~ 100–1000 nm | Broad: ~100 nm–1 μm; apoptotic bodies ~ 1–5 μm | [28] |
| Signature surface feature (example) | CD63 (tetraspanin) | Annexin A1 (enrichment reported) | PS externalization (Annexin V/Lactadherin+) | [28] |
| Cargo tendency (example) | miRNAs (regulatory RNAs) | Cytosolic proteins | Genomic DNA / nuclear fragments (especially larger subtypes) | [29] |
| Dominant uptake & intracellular processing | Endocytosis → endo-lysosomal trafficking | Endocytosis/phagocytosis → lysosomal processing | Efferocytosis → phagolysosomal processing (PS-recognition) | [30] |
| In vivo fate/turnover | Clearance by RES (e.g., liver/spleen) | Clearance by RES (context-dependent) | Often rapid phagocyte clearance (efferocytosis-biased) | [27] |