title: Functional role of microvesicles in gastrointestinal malignancies.
abstract: Microvesicles (MVs) are derived from the plasma membrane and are released into the intracellular space by outward budding and fission of the plasma membrane of cells. Various studies have shown high regulation of microvesicles shedding from cells widespread throughout the body, often involving cancerous cells. MVs are originated from the endosomal membrane compartment, and after fusion with the plasma membrane, they are shed from the cell surface of activated cells. Therefore, microvesicles may be secreted by activated malignant and normal cells and play a role in cellular communication during cancer development. Microvesicles are found in many biological fluids in the body and have been demonstrated to receive their functionality from the parent cell from which they are derived. MVs facilitate the transfer of proteins and other molecules, thereby allowing for interaction with cells and tissues far away from the originating cell. This functionality has caused researchers to view microvesicles as a primary component of tumor progression and development. This commentary summarizes recent literature on the properties and biogenesis of microvesicles, and their influence on gastrointestinal tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDaniel
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China.
authors.forename: Tianhao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; Research Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; Research Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; Research Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Venter
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; Research Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alpini
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, Texas 76S04, USA ; Research Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA ; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76S04, USA.
authors.forename: Fanyin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meng
keywords: Microvesicles (MVs); gastrointestinal malignancies