Extracellular vesicles in coronary artery disease

Extracellular vesicles are released in biological fluids both under basal conditions and in pathological settingsExtracellular vesicles act as vectors of biological information by transferring their protein, lipid, and nucleic acid content to target cellsCirculating levels of extracellular vesicles of different cellular origin are increased in cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction; these extracellular vesicles could serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkersExtracellular vesicles might contribute to atherosclerosis development and progression by promoting initial lesion formation, intravascular calcifications, unstable plaque progression, and thrombus formation after ruptureExtracellular vesicles released by stem cells (progenitor or mesenchymal stem cells) have potential therapeutic benefits on cardiac function after myocardial infarction