Nanobodies for advanced research

Nanobodies are also referred to as single domain antibodies, or VHH single domain antibodies. They are unique antibody fragments derived from camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies. These single domain antibodies have a small molecular weight (~15 kDa), about one-tenth the size of conventional antibodies, which enables superior tissue penetration, stability, and access to hidden antigen sites.

Our single domain antibodies and VHH single domain antibodies offer exceptional specificity and versatility, making them indispensable tools for your research.

Why use nanobodies (VHH single domain antibodies)?

• Smaller & more stable: Single domain antibodies maintain binding affinity even under demanding experimental conditions, offering superior stability and performance compared to conventional antibodies.
• Highly specific: Due to the structure of nanobodies, they target conformational and epitopes inaccessible to larger antibodies.
• Versatile applications: Ideal for Immunofluorescence, ELISA, Flow Cytometry, Western Blot, Surface Plasmon Resonance and Radioimmunoassay (RIA).
• Recombinant production: Ensures consistent quality and batch-to-batch reproducibility.

Nanobodies for epitope tags: GFP, mCherry and V5

Nanobodies raised against epitope tags can provide researchers with compact, high-affinity tools for detecting and isolating tagged proteins in various experimental systems. Unlike traditional antibodies, nanobodies are smaller, more stable, and ideal for high-resolution imaging, immunoprecipitation, and live-cell applications.

Anti-GFP nanobody (STJN000447)

Anti-GFP nanobody binds green fluorescent protein (GFP) with exceptional specificity and affinity. It’s widely used in live-cell imaging, co-localisation studies, and protein tracking due to its ability to access tightly packed cellular environments.

Anti-mCherry nanobody (STJN000495)

mCherry nanobody binds specifically to the mCherry fluorescent protein. Its small size and high specificity allow it to reach confined cellular regions, supporting live-cell imaging, protein co-localization, and tracking the movement of proteins tagged with mCherry. A dependable choice for dynamic imaging.

Anti-V5-tag-strain W3 nanobody (STJN000597)

V5 nanobody is a versatile tool for working proteins conjugated with the V5 protein tag. It provides specific detection, purification tool for monitoring proteins with the v5 protein tag. With its exceptional affinity and small size, this nanobody is ideal for various applications, including ELISA and immunofluorescence.

Nanobodies for neuroscience

Nanobodies power neuroscience by enabling live-cell and super-resolution imaging, intrabody perturbation, and biosensing. Their small size reaches synapses, ion channels, GPCRs, tau and amyloid—advancing target validation, modeling, and therapeutics.

Single domain antibodies targeting the neuronal system:

• 5HT3/HTR3A — GPCRs modulating mood, cognition, and synaptic transmission
• Amyloid precursor protein (APP) — central to Alzheimer’s disease pathways and synaptic biology
• Ion channel–specific nanobodies — tools for gating, trafficking, and electrophysiology studies
• ASIC1 — acid-sensing channel implicated in pain signaling and epilepsy

Nanobodies for signal transduction pathways

Signal transduction pathways govern how cells sense and respond to external stimuli. Nanobodies allow researchers to visualize, stabilize, and modulate key signaling proteins for drug discovery and disease modeling.

Single domain antibodies targeting signal transduction:

• ADRB2 (β₂-adrenergic receptor) — GPCR widely studied with nanobodies for stabilization and conformational assays
• A2AR (Adenosine A2A receptor) — GPCR involved in neuromodulation and immunoregulation
• AKT1 — central kinase in PI3K/AKT signaling, critical in cancer biology
• Calcitonin receptor — hormone receptor regulating calcium homeostasis and endocrine signaling

Elucidating metabolic pathways with nanobodies

Nanobodies provide versatile tools to dissect metabolic regulation and cellular energy balance. Their small size and high specificity allow researchers to visualize, quantify, and perturb key regulators of metabolism in health and disease.

Single domain antibodies targeting metabolic pathways:

• Adiponectin, a hormone regulating glucose and lipid metabolism
• Catalase, a central antioxidant enzyme mitigating oxidative stress
• AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a master regulator of cellular energy homeostasis
• mTOR, a critical kinase linking nutrient sensing to growth and metabolism

Nanobodies for metabolism of proteins

Protein metabolism spans synthesis, folding, trafficking, and degradation. Nanobodies help visualize, quantify, and perturb proteostasis pathways to reveal how dysregulation drives disease.

Single domain antibodies targeting protein metabolism:

• ADAM10 — sheddase regulating ectodomain cleavage and signaling
• ADAM17 — key protease in cytokine and receptor processing
• Albumin (ALB/HSA) — carrier protein for transport/PK studies
• CCT5 (TRiC chaperonin) — chaperone for protein folding and proteostasis

Nanobodies studying transport

Nanobodies enable precise visualization and perturbation of membrane transport pathways — from ion and metal handling to monocarboxylate uptake — helping decode nutrient import, toxin export, and epithelial barrier function.

Single domain antibodies targeting transporters/channels:

• CFTR (ABCC7) — chloride/bicarbonate channel for epithelial fluid homeostasis (ELISA / FC)
• ATP7B — copper-transporting P-type ATPase central to metal efflux (ELISA / IF)
• SLC5A8 (SMCT1) — Na⁺-coupled monocarboxylate transporter for butyrate/lactate (ELISA)
• CDH17 (Cadherin-17) — intestine-enriched adhesion protein linked to peptide transport physiology (FC / WB)

Cell-cell communication nanobodies

Nanobodies against adhesion molecules and immune checkpoint proteins are powerful tools for dissecting intercellular signaling, migration, and tissue organization in development, inflammation, and cancer.

Single domain antibodies targeting cell-cell communication:

• VCAM1 (CD106) — vascular adhesion molecule central to leukocyte trafficking
• Nectin-2 (CD112) — immunoglobulin-like adhesion protein linked to immune synapse formation
• ICAM1 (CD54) — intercellular adhesion molecule supporting T cell and APC interactions
• CD47 — “don’t eat me” signal regulating immune evasion and cell clearance

Detecting immune system proteins

Nanobodies provide powerful tools for monitoring immune checkpoints, complement activation, and CD markers, enabling deeper insight into autoimmune disease, infection, and immunotherapy mechanisms.

Single domain antibodies targeting immune proteins:

• CTLA4 — immune checkpoint receptor regulating T cell activation
• CD40LG — ligand modulating B cell help and immune signaling
• C5 — complement protein central to membrane attack complex formation
• CD123 (IL3RA) — cytokine receptor subunit used in leukemia and dendritic cell profiling

Apoptosis regulation

Nanobodies targeting apoptosis regulators enable the study of cell survival and death pathways in cancer, neurodegeneration, and development. They serve as precise tools to track, inhibit, or enhance programmed cell death.

Single domain antibodies targeting apoptosis proteins:

• BAX — pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein driving mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization
• BCL2 — anti-apoptotic protein maintaining mitochondrial integrity
• Caspase-3 — executioner protease responsible for apoptotic DNA fragmentation
• Fas (CD95) — death receptor initiating extrinsic apoptosis signaling

Nanobodies for CHO Host Cell Proteins (HCPs) detection

We offer single domain antibodies for critical bioprocessing applications, including detection and removal of beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) and other CHO host cell proteins. These nanobodies provide enhanced specificity and stability for:

• Sensitive ELISA assays to monitor residual host proteins.
• Affinity chromatography to improve therapeutic protein purity.
• Multiplex detection of multiple HCPs to ensure product safety.

Assessing VHH antibody development workflows

Anti-VHH nanobody [cAb-Lys2] is a specialised reagent designed for the characterisation and validation of VHH-type nanobodies, which are derived from camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies. It plays a key role in detecting VHH nanobody expression in engineered cells or fusion constructs, and is widely used to analyse nanobody surface display in platforms.

Additionally, cAb-Lys2 serves as a valuable isotype control in flow cytometry or immunoassays involving VHH-based reagents. This nanobody also supports quality control workflows by confirming successful expression and purification of recombinant VHH nanobodies to quantify nanobody library. Rather than targeting a specific antigen, cAb-Lys2 is a versatile tool for streamlining nanobody development research workflows.