*Roles of Extracellular Vesicles in Human Reproduction DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101046*

somatic cells around them (companion somatic cells) is important for the development of oocytes fertilization and embryogenesis. EVs in ovary, oviduct, endometrium and placenta are the carriers of information during gametogenesis, fertilization and embryo-maternal dialog, helping follicle and oocyte development and maturation. While in fertilization, they can regulate maternal immunity, promote early embryo development, assist implantation, and maintain pregnancy, which are all vital for successful pregnancy. In pathologies, EVs play important roles in female reproductive system disorders, such as PCOS, EMs, pregnancy complications (**Figure 3**).

In the process of EVs synthesis, different RNAs, proteins and other contents are selectively packaged into EVs, therefore the data of genomics, proteomics and

#### **Figure 3.**

*The functions of EVs in female reproductive physiology and pathology conditions.*


#### **Table 1.**

*Potential EVs biomarkers in different reproductive diseases.*

metabolomics in EVs may be different between normal physiological state and conditions, and the number and composition of EVs may reflect the functional state of its cell origin. In view of the importance of this mode of intercellular communication in the reproductive system, EVs can be used as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for reproductive diseases in the field of reproductive system diseases and assisted reproductive technology (ART) (**Table 1**).

Future research can not only continue to focus on the role of EVs in the normal reproductive physiology, but also focus on the changes of their cargos in a variety of reproductive diseases, so as to find biomarkers for prediction and diagnosis of diseases, and how to transform them into targeted drug therapy and other clinical applications.
