Fig. 2
From: Emerging roles and therapeutic value of exosomes in cancer metastasis
The role of exosomes in metastasis. a Exosomes regulate metastatic initiation and progression. Tumor-derived exosomes are involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, an increase of vascular permeability, alteration of the immune system, transformation of recipient cells, and reprogramming of energy metabolism. b The role of exosomes in organotropic metastasis. Primary tumor-derived exosomes can transfer proteins (e.g. integrin, EGFR) and nucleic acids (e.g. miRNAs, oncogenes) via blood vessels or lymphatic vessels to specific organs and bind to resident cells, thereby priming distant organ sites as pre-metastatic niches