Seminarium Zakładu Biofizyki

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a versatile intercellular communication system that, beyond classical exosomes and microvesicles, includes large, membrane‑bound structures known as exophers. First described in neurons as a means to expel aggregated proteins and damaged organelles, exophers have since been observed in diverse cell types where they can encapsulate complex cargos ranging from protein aggregates and organelles to lipids and yolk proteins. Unlike smaller EVs, exophers are often micron‑scale, enabling the transfer of bulk material that can substantially remodel recipient tissues or even entire organisms. In this talk, I will integrate findings from complementary studies in Caenorhabditis elegans model organism to illustrate how both environmental cues and social signals dynamically regulate exopher‑mediated physiology and how exophers, in turn, influence organismal fitness and survival.