ACS Chem Neurosci. 2026 Jul 06.
The intercellular transmission of pathological markers is of great significance for understanding the occurrence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Over the past decade, numerous excellent reviews have been published concerning intercellular communication, comprehensively summarizing the key mechanisms by which pathological proteins propagate in these diseases. Building upon this foundation, the present review aims to provide an updated synthesis of the latest advances in this rapidly evolving field. We elaborate on recent discoveries in intercellular communication patterns in neurodegenerative diseases, starting with exploring intercellular communication mediated by extracellular vesicles and other modes of transmission, including both in vitro and in vivo studies. We also discuss the new intercellular communication pathway of the migrasome and microfluidic-based researches, which may provide a broader basis for studying intercellular communication mechanisms under various pathological and physiological conditions. Finally, we highlight the challenges and future research directions of intercellular transmission in the context of neurodegenerative diseases, laying a foundation for potential pathological analysis of the diseases.
Keywords: Biomarker delivery; Extracellular vesicles; Intercellular transmission; Microfluidic device; Neurodegenerative disease; Synucleinopathy; Taupathy; Tunneling nanotubes