Exosomes, a subclass of extracellular vesicles (EVs), are nanoscale, membrane-bound structures that play a critical role in intercellular communication. They transport bioactive cargos—including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids—and influence key physiological processes such as immune regulation, barrier function, inflammation control, and cellular homeostasis.
Exosomes can originate from a variety of biological sources, including plants, milk, animals, and microorganisms. In the context of this discussion, however, the focus is placed on human-derived exosomes and Next-Generation Probiotics (NGPs)-derived exosomes, as these two pathways are most directly involved in human biological communication and represent two fundamentally different yet highly relevant development paradigms.
As interest in exosome-based applications expands across biomedical, cosmetic, and wellness fields, increasing attention has been placed on the origin of exosomes, as the source directly affects safety, reproducibility, scalability, and regulatory acceptance.
Human-derived exosomes are typically isolated from cultured human cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), umbilical cord-derived cells, or other primary human cells. Due to their human cellular origin, these exosomes naturally reflect endogenous signaling mechanisms and have been widely studied in regenerative and therapeutic research.
However, several intrinsic limitations accompany human-derived systems:
These factors can pose challenges for large-scale manufacturing and international regulatory alignment.
Next-Generation Probiotics (NGPs) represent a class of beneficial microorganisms that naturally coexist with the human body as part of the microbiome. Beyond their metabolic and immunological roles, NGPs actively participate in microbe–host communication, in part through the release of extracellular vesicles.
In this approach, humans act as the biological host rather than the cellular source. Through modern biotechnology, selected NGP strains are cultivated outside the human body under controlled anaerobic fermentation conditions, during which they release exosome-like extracellular vesicles into the culture supernatant. These vesicles are subsequently isolated and purified through standardized downstream processes.
A defining distinction of NGPs-derived exosomes is their non-human origin.
Despite this, NGPs-derived exosomes remain highly compatible with human biology, reflecting the long-standing co-evolutionary relationship between the microbiome and its host. Their vesicles carry bioactive signals capable of interacting with human cells, supporting physiological balance rather than replacing human cellular functions.
From a production standpoint, the source of exosomes has significant implications. Human-derived exosome systems depend heavily on cell culture conditions and donor quality, leading to challenges in batch consistency and scale-up.
By contrast, NGPs-derived exosomes benefit from:
These attributes make NGPs-derived systems particularly suitable for cosmetic, dermatological, and wellness applications requiring consistent performance and safety.
NEXOSOME™ is an exosome platform developed based on the Next-Generation Probiotics–derived approach. It is produced through the cultivation and fermentation of selected microbiome-origin probiotic strains under controlled conditions, followed by the isolation and purification of extracellular vesicles from the fermentation supernatant.
Importantly, NEXOSOME™:
By combining microbiome compatibility with biotechnology-driven manufacturing, NEXOSOME™ exemplifies how NGPs-derived exosomes can deliver biologically relevant signals while meeting practical requirements for safety, consistency, and scalability.
Exosomes are increasingly recognized as key mediators of biological communication, but their origin plays a decisive role in determining their applicability and development pathway. While human-derived exosomes have contributed significantly to foundational research, Next-Generation Probiotics–derived exosomes offer a complementary and scalable alternative grounded in microbiome science.
As a representative example of this approach, NEXOSOME™ demonstrates how non-human–derived exosome systems can align biological relevance with manufacturing feasibility and regulatory foresight, opening new possibilities for exosome-based innovation.