Mechanisms and prospects of multifunctional organelles in intercellular communication

Organelles function as the primary units of cellular activity and also play a crucial role in intercellular communication. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the level of interest among researchers in the field of organelle transfer and exchange. A mounting body of evidence suggests that a variety of organelles—including, but not limited to, mitochondria, chloroplasts and lysosomes—can be transferred between cells via multiple mechanisms, thereby impacting cellular destiny. It is evident that the absence of a consolidated logical framework is due to the heterogeneity of the disease models and perspectives that underpin the extant discoveries. Consequently, there is an absence of a unifying logical framework that can summarize the mechanisms of intracellular and extracellular environment remodeling before and after multi-organelle transfer for targeted investigation and clinical application. This review systematically examines extant research on intercellular organelle transfer, encompassing transferable organelle types, triggering factors, effects on donor/recipient cells, and mechanistic analyses/intervention strategies from physiological and pathological perspectives. The objective of this review is to gain a more profound comprehension of the mechanisms that regulate fundamental life processes by meticulously analyzing the transfer processes of diverse organelles. In this review, we discuss the critical challenges in organelle transfer research and emphasize its significance for innovative therapeutic strategies and the elucidation of universal biological mechanisms.