Credit: Adapted, Simberg lab.
Representation of C3 molecules of complement immune system binding to antibody. First, the immunoglobulin binds to the protein that is part of the corona of a nanoparticle (blue), followed by binding of C3 to the antibody. When marked with C3, the nanoparticle is marked as an invading pathogen, setting off immune response that attacks the nanoparticle and may be dangerous to a patient.