Figure 2.

Extracellular vesicles. Exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies differ in dimensions and biogenesis. They carry several molecular components, including cytosolic and membrane proteins, receptors, and nucleic acids. Exosomes are small vesicles (50–100 nm) that are derived from multivesicular bodies (MVB), and are released by fusion of MVB with the cell membrane; microvesicles are larger vesicles (100 nm–1 µm) and are derived from budding of the plasma membrane; apoptotic vesicles have a size ranging from 1 to 5 µm, and are released by the blebbing process during apoptosis.