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2017; Zijlstra and Di Vizio 2018) and in others chapters of the present book.Within the reproductive tract, distinct cell types must have precisely controlled communication for complex processes such as gamete production, fertilisation and implantation. Intercellular communication in many physiological processes involves extracellular vesicles (EVs). In reproductive systems, EVs have been implicated in many aspects, from gamete maturation to embryo development. Sperm develop within the testis and then exit into the epididymis in an immature form, lacking motility and fertilising capabilities. Due to their small size, compact nature of the nucleus and the lack of specific organelles, sperm are unable to perform de novo protein synthesis, and thus rely on extrinsic signals delivered from the external milieu to gain full function. Mounting evidence points to EVs as being a major provider of these signals, not just within the male reproductive tract but also within the female as the sperm make their way through a seemingly hostile environment to the oocyte. In this chapter, we review the current knowledge on EVs as mediators of sperm maturation and function and highlight their potential roles in male fertility.Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with long-term morbidity in mothers and lifelong morbidities for their children, ranging from cerebral palsy and cognitive delay in preterm infants, to hypertension, diabetes and obesity in adolescents and young adults. There are several processes that are critical for development of materno-fetal exchange, including establishing adequate perfusion of the placenta by maternal blood, and the formation of the placental villous vascular tree. Recent studies provide persuasive evidence that placenta-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a significant intercellular communication pathway, and that they may play an important role in placental and endothelial cell (both fetal and maternal) function. These functions are known to be altered in PE. EVs can carry and transport a wide range of bioactive molescules that have potential to be used as biomarkers and therapeutic delivery tools for PE. EV content is often parent cell specific, thus providing an insight or "thumbprint" of the intracellular environment of the originating cell (e.g., human placenta). [https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bi-1015550.html click here] EV have been identified in plasma under both normal and pathological conditions, including PE. The concentration of EVs and their content in plasma has been reported to increase in association with disease severity and/or progression. Placenta-derived EVs have been identified in maternal plasma during normal pregnancy and PE pregnancies. They contain placenta-specific proteins and miRNAs and, as such, may be differentiated from maternally-derived EVs. The aim of this review, thus, is to describe the potential roles of EVs in preecmpatic pregnancies, focussing on EVs secreted from placental cells. The biogenesis, specificity of placental EVs, and methods used to characterise EVs in the context of PE pregnancies will be also discussed.Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Emerging evidence emphasize the importance of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the cell to cell communication in the cardiovascular system which is majorly mediated through non-coding RNA cargo. Advancement in sequencing technologies revealed a major proportion of human genome is composed of non-coding RNAs viz., miRNAs, lncRNAs, tRNAs, snoRNAs, piRNAs and rRNAs. However, our understanding of the role of ncRNAs-containing EVs in cardiovascular health and disease is still in its infancy. This book chapter provides a comprehensive update on our understanding on the role of EVs derived ncRNAs in the cardiovascular pathophysiology and their therapeutic potential.The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the central nervous system, and in particular the brain, is a rapidly growing research area. Importantly, the role for EVs in the nervous system spans from early development through to old age, with EVs being associated with several different neurological disorders. To date, researchers have been studying the function of EVs in the nervous system in three major areas (i) the role of EVs in promoting disease pathways, (ii) the ability of EVs to be used as a diagnostic tool to identify cellular changes in the nervous system, and (iii) the potential use of EVs as therapeutic tools for the delivery of biomolecules or drugs to the nervous system. In each of these settings the analysis and use of EVs performs a different function, highlighting the breadth of areas in which the EV field is applicable. A key aspect of EV biology is the ability of vesicles to cross biological barriers, in particular the blood brain barrier. This allows for the measurement of serum EVs that contain information about cells in the brain, or alternatively, allows for the delivery of biomolecules that are packaged within EVs for therapeutic use.As living organisms constantly need energy to maintain and perform cellular functions, metabolism plays a vital role in producing the required energy to execute these processes. Hence, various metabolic pathways are highly regulated and disruption in critical pathways can result in the onset of multiple disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidaemia. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanosized vesicles that are known to be secreted by various cell types into their respective extracellular environment. EVs have been implicated in cell-to-cell communication via mediating cellular signaling and can functionally impact recipient cells with the transport of bioactive proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and cellular metabolites. Recently, several studies have highlighted the role of EVs in metabolism. Alterations in the plasma derived EV concentration and their cargo in patients with metabolic disorders have been reported by multiple studies, further proposing EVs as a potential source of disease biomarkers. The following chapter will discuss the functional significance of EVs in metabolic diseases and the processes by which EVs act as cellular messengers to reprogram the metabolic machinery in recipient cells.