An Analytical Model for the Inference of the EV Reception Process Parameters in Cell-to-Cell Communication

The communication mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) is recognized as an opportunity for delivering biological material to recipient cells, with the aim of developing innovative and more efficient therapeutic protocols. In this context, they can represent an effective alternative to unsuccessful drug delivery systems, for the treatment of several diseases. However, a deeper understanding of the dynamics regulating the uptake of EVs by target cells is necessary, yet challenging, for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In fact, the technologies today available do not allow the direct visualization of EV uptake over time. On the contrary, an indirect reconstruction of the molecular events is only possible and the estimation of the parameters involved in this molecular process remains a difficult task. For this reason, in this article we propose the mathematical model of a generic uptake process, with the aim of providing a tool both for the inference of still unknown biological parameters and for the design of biological experiments, according to some desired results.