Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42587821›Full record

ReviewCells2026

Vesicular Communication in the Bone-Muscle Unit: Physiological Functions, Aging, and Therapeutic Potential.

Virginia Veronica Visconti, Chiara Greggi, Antonio Matticari, Riccardo Iundusi, Elena Gasbarra, Annalisa Botta, Umberto Tarantino

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cells, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Virginia Veronica ViscontiDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-4543-7770
Chiara GreggiDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, "Policlinico Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3205-4030
Antonio MatticariDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, "Policlinico Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0009-0008-5897-5560
Riccardo IundusiDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, "Policlinico Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1826-2880
Elena GasbarraDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, "Policlinico Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Annalisa BottaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4031-5624
Umberto TarantinoDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, "Policlinico Tor Vergata" Foundation, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0330-2189

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as fundamental pillars of intercellular communication, acting as primary mediators of the bidirectional biochemical crosstalk within the integrated bone-muscle unit. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of EV-mediated signaling across the bone-muscle axis, offering a side-by-side mapping of vesicular biogenesis, cargo composition, and functional roles in both tissues. Under physiological conditions, skeletal muscle- and bone-derived EVs orchestrate tissue homeostasis, adaptations to physical exercise, myogenesis, and bone remodeling by transferring unique molecular cargos of proteins and specific microRNAs. However, aging induces a profound remodeling of the EV secretome toward a senescent profile characterized by harmful vesicular factors. This dysfunctional vesicular signaling impairs both muscle regeneration and osteogenesis, directly contributing to the pathogenesis of interconnected age-related disorders like sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and osteosarcopenia. Concurrently, circulating EVs represent valuable, minimally invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis. On the therapeutic front, this review critically evaluates emerging EV-based approaches, utilizing mesenchymal stem cell-derived, bioengineered, or biomaterial-incorporated EVs, offering promising, low-immunogenic alternatives to cell transplantation to enhance musculoskeletal tissue repair and restore bone-muscle homeostasis. Despite persisting technical challenges regarding large-scale production and standardization, targeting or leveraging EV-mediated communication represents one of the most innovative and revolutionary strategies to counteract age-related musculoskeletal decline. By unifying physiological mechanisms, age-related molecular reprogramming, and therapeutic engineering across both muscle and bone into a single narrative, this review provides a comprehensive framework to guide future research and clinical translation in musculoskeletal health.

Indexed as

AgingBone and BonesCell CommunicationExtracellular VesiclesMuscle, SkeletalAnimalsHumansMesenchymal Stem Cellsbonebone–muscle crosstalkextracellular vesicles (EVs)musclemusculoskeletal diseasesosteoporosissarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID42587821
PMCPMC13464870

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.