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. 2016 Apr 14;7(5):319–334. doi: 10.4155/tde-2016-0006

Figure 1. . Lipid nanoparticles protect mRNA from degradation, and facilitate endocytosis and endosomal escape.

Figure 1. 

(A) mRNA can be encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for protection from enzymatic degradation. A positively charged LNP favors localization of mRNA at the negatively charged cell membrane, including subsequent endocytosis into the cytosol. In order to be transcribed, the mRNA must escape both the LNP and the endosome. (B) Extracellular proteins based vaccines are endocytosed in a similar manner, but do not need to escape from the endosome to be presented on MHCII.