Elucidate intracellular organization and compartments of microRNA secretion

Elucidate the intracellular organization and specific cellular compartments that are responsible for microRNA secretion in mammalian cells, including how these compartments coordinate selective export.

Background

Multiple secretion routes for microRNAs have been reported, including ceramide-dependent exosomal release, SNARE-mediated exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells, and non-vesicular AGO2-linked release. Despite these findings, the cellular logistics underlying selective secretion remain unclear.

Determining the organizational basis and compartmental contributions is essential to explain how cells sort and export specific microRNAs for intercellular communication.