Matrix Bound Vesicles

Matrix-bound vesicles (MBVs) are a novel subset of extracellular vesicles (EVs) we identified in the breast microenvironment. We investigate and compare their characteristics in young and aged healthy breast tissues, and study the effects of these MBVs on cancer progression. This discovery shows for the first time that the MBVs have a regulatory role in the tissue microenvironment and that the MBV contents change towards cancer-promoting upon aging. Studying the effects of MBVs and their cargos on cellular behavior provides new insights into the critical roles MBVs play in breast cancer progression and metastasis.