Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/extracellular-vesicles-health-disease

Introduction

**Course Review: Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease** **Overview:** The course titled "Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease" offered on Coursera is an immersive exploration into the dynamic world of extracellular vesicles (EVs) - tiny, membrane-bound structures that play a pivotal role in intercellular communication. As a vital component in both maintaining normal physiological functions and influencing disease progression, EVs have emerged as a hot topic in biomedical research. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the latest advances in the study of EVs, making it an invaluable resource for those interested in cell biology, medicine, and related fields. **Course Structure:** The course is divided into four well-structured modules, each addressing critical aspects of EVs: 1. **Introduction and Overview:** The course opens with a foundational module that revisits content from a previous MOOC, “Basics of Extracellular Vesicles.” This introductory phase sets the stage for a deeper exploration of EVs, providing a necessary context for both newcomers and those familiar with the topic. 2. **Physiological Functions of EVs:** This module delves into how EVs contribute to cellular homeostasis. It covers their role in metabolism, inflammation, immunity, pregnancy, and coagulation. You will also learn about microorganism-derived EVs and how they can impact cellular functions during conditions such as stress and apoptosis. 3. **Pathophysiology of EVs in Cancer:** Focusing on the compelling relationship between EVs and cancer, this module examines how EVs facilitate communication between tumor cells and their microenvironment. It discusses their role in cancer cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and drug resistance, along with considerations for their use as cancer biomarkers. Practical techniques for detecting EVs and selecting appropriate biofluids are also highlighted. 4. **Pathophysiology of EVs in Various Diseases:** The final module explores the impact of EVs across multiple disease states, including cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, and infectious diseases. It also touches on proposed EV-associated biomarkers and therapeutic strategies utilizing EVs for delivering inhibitory molecules. **Target Audience:** This course is tailored for intermediate learners—scientists, clinicians, and cell and molecular biologists—who are looking to deepen their understanding of EVs and their implications in health and disease. It is particularly beneficial for those focused on cutting-edge research and applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. **Recommendation:** I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in the fast-evolving field of extracellular vesicles. The structured approach, combined with the depth of information provided, makes it suitable for both newcomers and seasoned professionals. Whether you're investigating the underlying mechanisms of a specific disease or seeking new biomarkers for cancer research, this course equips you with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of EVs effectively. **Conclusion:** "Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease" is a timely course that bridges fundamental science with clinical applications. With its robust curriculum and focus on recent advancements, it prepares participants to contribute meaningfully to the discourse surrounding EVs in health care and research settings. Enroll in this course to expand your knowledge and enhance your expertise in this fascinating area of study!

Syllabus

Course Goals and Learning Objectives

This course aims to provide current understanding about extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their role in health and diseases. The EVs are known to be involved in cell to cell communication. Apart from maintaining normal cell physiology, EVs deliver messages that can drive or influence the progression of a disease. This course discusses recent advances made in the field to give an introduction on their function in health as well as in disease. This course includes four modules. Module 1 is an introduction to the course, and provides an overview of the previous MOOC on EVs “Basics of Extracellular Vesicles”. Module 2 focuses on the role of EVs in physiological conditions and gives various examples on their role in metabolism, inflammation, immunity and pregnancy and coagulation. This module also briefly covers the topic of microorganism-derived EVs such as vesicles from bacteria and discusses EVs from apoptotic and senescent cells. In Module 3, we focus on the role of EVs in cancer: how EVs can mediate communication between the tumour and its microenvironment, the functional role of immune cell-derived EVs in development of cancer, as well as the role of EVs in cancer cell proliferation, survival, metastasis and drug resistance. In Module 4, the role of EVs in diseases of the cardiovascular, haematopoietic, nervous, respiratory and urinary systems, and infectious diseases will be presented. This course is recommended for intermediate learners or anyone who is interested in the field of extracellular vesicles and their role in a particular disease including scientists, clinicians, or cell and molecular biologists who look to broaden their understanding of the field.

In this module, we will discuss the role of extracellular vesicles in maintaining cellular homeostasis, why they are important for this process. How microorganism such as in gram positive and negative bacteria can secrete EVs, will be discussed. Altered EV secretion as a response to inflammation, stress and apoptosis or senescence will be highlighted. Furthermore, some examples will be provided on how EV cargo can influence cellular metabolism and the function of EVs in maintaining physiology of cells in pregnancy and coagulation.

This module will highlight the role of EVs in the progression of cancer and how the cargo delivered via EVs can directly influence cancer cell proliferation or metastatic properties. The communication between tumour and immune cells, stromal, and endothelial cells will be discussed. We will cover some of the considerations and guidelines that are important in utilising EVs as cancer biomarkers. Techniques that are commonly used to detect EVs, selection of biofluid for tumour EV biomarker analysis, model used in studying EVs, selection of specific EV cargo as biomarker and examples for studies on EVs as cancer biomarkers will be highlighted.

We will discuss the reported role of EVs in mediating the development of various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hematological disorders, neurological diseases, urological, respiratory diseases and infectious diseases. This module will also highlight some of the proposed EV associated biomarkers and some therapeutic strategies by utilizing EVs to deliver inhibitory molecule.