Jiali Cheng, Yi Zhu
Introduction: Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) are currently a hot research topic, which have been confirmed to have similar structures and functions to mammalian-derived exosomes. PELNs are lipid bilayer membrane nanovesicles containing bioactive constituents such as miRNA, mRNA, protein, and lipids obtained from plant cells, that can participate in intercellular communication and mediate transboundary communication, have high bioavailability and low immunogenicity, are relatively safe, and have been shown to play an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis and preventing, and treating a variety of diseases. Methods: The author has read recent articles on PELNs and summarized them. Results: We summarized the importance and challenges of PELNs and provided a theoretical basis for the future research and clinical application of PELNs. Discussion: In this review, we describe the biogenesis, isolation and purification methods, structural composition, stability and function of PELNs, mainly introducing the role of PELN in anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and drug delivery.