Potential of Extracellular Vesicles as Therapeutics in Retinal Diseases

Rapidly expanding research activity on extracellular vesicles (EV) holds promise for new biomedical applications in many tissues of our body. EVs are also emerging players in the retinal physiology, thereby increasing understanding on the mechanisms regulating pathophysiology of the eye and offering new possibilities for retinal therapeutics. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge of EVs in the posterior segment of the eye, participation of EVs in the pathogenesis of most common ocular diseases, and discusses the advancements, challenges, and future promises for EV-mediated ocular therapies. The origin, kinetics, ability to cross barriers, uptake, and transport of EVs through ocular cells will be discussed in light of the current knowledge. The vitreous chamber of the eye is a highly protected biological compartment with limited communication with the rest of the body due to the blood–retinal barrier that restricts the exchange of EVs between the blood and the retina. These special features make the investigation of EVs in the homeostasis, pathophysiology, and therapy of the eye particularly interesting. Thus, deeper understanding of the role of EV in healthy and diseased ocular tissues and their kinetics, and interactions with the rest of the body, will significantly improve their potential utilization as drug delivery vehicles and therapeutic agents.