Fig. 4. Selected slices from the reconstructed tomographic 3D volume (see Supplementary Figs. 3, 4, and Supplementary Movies 5–23 of the Supplementary Information; see the image analysis section for details of the generation of the 3D corona decoration).

The 2D images represent virtual slices through the reconstructed 3D volume of the NPs and corona, from top to bottom. Local distribution and association of the biomolecules within the corona on the surface of the NPs are visible. The biomolecules appear as a dark dense structure bound to the surface of the NPs and at distances from the surface. Changes in the appearance of the individual dots from one image to the next image (see arrows) indicate that the size of these dots, representing biomolecules, is ~1 nm. The scale bar for all images in the panel are the same (100 nm).