Intercellular communication via transfer of microRNAs, proteins, signaling molecules

Intercellular communication via the transfer of microRNAs, proteins, and signaling molecules is a process by which cells exchange regulatory signals using structures such as exosomes, microvesicles, and gap junctions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression and can be secreted into extracellular fluids, packaged in vesicles like exosomes, or transferred directly through gap junction channels[1][2][3]. This communication mechanism can regulate gene expression, synchronize cellular responses, and propagate signals within a tissue. In pathology, the transfer of tumorigenic miRNAs or proteins via extracellular vesicles can promote cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and resistance, while circulating miRNAs have clinical utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers[3][4]. This entry is best treated as a cellular process that includes diverse molecular entities rather than a single actionable drug target, so it does not conform to the canonical structure of the database fields specified.

Other names

Intercellular microRNA transferexosome-mediated communicationgap junction-mediated RNA transportextracellular microRNA signaling