Fig. 2.

Benefits of multivalent nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are subjected to forces such as rotation and moment in the blood. A single ligand can bind its receptor diminishing these forces slowly with each interaction (a). Multivalent nanoparticles can be bound by multiple receptors simultaneously leading to increased receptor-ligand interactions. The exponential increase in affinity and increased interactions caused by the multivalency of the nanoparticle increase the amount of nanoparticles that remain bound and that consequently can be internalized (b)