CRIPTO3 and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: It has been shown that ligation of the inactivated component protein 3 factor b (iC3b) to CR3 expressed on CLL cells inhibits spontaneous apoptosis in vitro in CLL cells, which was reverted by specific antibodies directed towards the αM chain of CR3, suggesting that iC3b could serve as an anti-apoptotic factor in CLL [199].