Yun-Ha Heo
Pohang University of Science and Technology · 生化学・遺伝学・分子生物学
研究室紹介
Professor Yun-Ha Heo's research lab focuses on extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key mediators of intercellular communication, particularly in stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and aging. The lab investigates the biogenesis, cargo sorting, and functional roles of distinct EV subtypes—such as microvesicles and exosomes—especially in maintaining pluripotency, promoting tissue repair, and modulating cellular senescence. A central theme is understanding how extracellular vesicles derived from pluripotent stem cells exert therapeutic effects, with a strong emphasis on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying their regenerative potential. The lab also explores the role of EVs in age-related diseases and aims to harness their properties for novel regenerative therapies.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
4It is becoming increasingly evident that most cell types are capable of forming and releasing multiple distinct classes of membrane-enclosed packages, referred to as extracellular vesicles (EVs), as a form of intercellular communication. Microvesicles (MVs) represent one of the major classes of EVs and are formed by the outward budding of the plasma membrane. The second major class of EVs, exosomes, are produced as components of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and are released from cells when MVBs
Stem cells use a variety of mechanisms to help maintain their pluripotency and promote self-renewal, as well as, at the appropriate time, to differentiate into specialized cells. One such mechanism that is attracting significant attention from the stem cell, development, and regenerative medicine research communities involves a form of intercellular communication, specifically, the ability of cells to form and release nontraditional membrane-enclosed structures, referred to as extracellular vesi
The accumulation of cells that permanently exit the cell cycle and undergo senescence is a hallmark of aging and predisposes organisms to disease. Emerging evidence suggests extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) possess therapeutic/regenerative properties with the potential to significantly impact cellular senescence and aging-related disorders. However, the critical next step for taking advantage of the potential benefits offered by ESC-derived EVs wil