Bioinformatics Tools and Databases for Extracellular Vesicles and Particles Research
摘要
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures released by all cell types that carry diverse cargo, including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites. Cells also secrete protein–nucleic acid complexes that lack a membrane and are called extracellular particles (EPs). EVs play pivotal roles in intercellular and intracellular communication, for the regulation of physiological and pathological processes determined by the cargo content. The molecular content of EVs varies depending on the originating cell type and its physiological state; thus, EVs are emerging as potential biomarkers for various pathological conditions. In this regard, profiling EVs enables a deeper understanding of their biological roles. Several publicly accessible, web-based repositories—such as ExoCarta, EVpedia, and Vesiclepedia—catalogued multiple datasets related to EV cargo to aid the research community. These resources help gain insights into molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological processes associated with different disease conditions from which these EVs are isolated. This chapter discusses the current EV databases that are mostly used in EV research and bioinformatics tools available to perform integrated analyses for the identification of key functional components and gain a comprehensive understanding of the roles of EVs in health and disease.