title: Introduction to heavy chain antibodies and derived Nanobodies.
abstract: The immune response of infected or immunized dromedaries contains a diverse repertoire of conventional and heavy chain-only antibodies, both functional in antigen binding. By definition, a heavy chain antibody is devoid of a light chain and in the case of the heavy chain antibodies in camelids the CH1 domain is also missing. Consequently a camelid heavy chain antibody associates with its cognate antigen via a single domain, the variable heavy chain domain of a heavy chain antibody or VHH. An antigen-specific VHH, also known as Nanobody, with excellent biochemical properties can be obtained in various ways. Their recombinant expression provides access to user-friendly tools for a wide variety of applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Interactions, VIB, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vincke
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muyldermans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002161:Camelids, New World; D006801:Humans; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies