Building a nanobody library | Free educational graphics
This figure shows the five steps to building a nanobody library, including:
- Immunize a camelid
- Extract white blood cells
- Copy genes for nanobodies, insert into phages
- Generate phages that display nanobodies
- “Pan” for desired nanobodies
Scientists are investigating nanobodies and their diminutive brethren for all sorts of purposes.
This research may begin by building a nanobody library: To identify antibody fragments that work against a specific target, like SARS-CoV-2 or a cancer protein, researchers often start by immunizing a camel or shark with their target of interest.
A few weeks later, they take blood from the animal to get white blood cells. From those white blood cells, they make copies of the antibodies’ genes to insert into viruses called bacteriophages that display the nanobodies on their surface. Researchers can then sort through those nanobodies, like panning for gold to find the ones that attach to their protein of interest.
Read more in Knowable Magazine
Small wonders: The antibodies from camels and sharks that could change medicine
A handful of animals make a pared-down version of these pathogen-fighting proteins of our immune system. Scientists hope to harness them as treatments for ills from cancer to Covid, for tracking cells in the body, and more.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2023/animal-n...
Arming immune foot soldiers against cancer
Natural killer cells are born ready to attack the disease. Biologists are developing ways to make these cells tougher and more targeted.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/arming-i...
Q&A — Synthetic biologist Wendell Lim: How the body’s own defense cells can be turned into tiny, programmable assassins to battle cancers and other disorders
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2018/hacking-...
Take a deeper dive: Selected scholarly reviews
Applications of Nanobodies, Annual Review of Animal Biosciences
===
Knowable Magazine from Annual Reviews is a digital publication that seeks to make scientific knowledge accessible to all. Through compelling articles, beautiful graphics, engaging videos and more, Knowable Magazine explores the real-world impact of research through a journalistic lens. All content is rooted in deep reporting and undergoes a thorough fact-checking before publication.
The Knowable Magazine Science Graphics Library is an initiative to create freely available, accurate and engaging graphics for teachers and students. All graphics are curated from Knowable Magazine articles and are free for classroom use.
Knowable Magazine is an editorially independent initiative produced by Annual Reviews, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society.
==
We love to hear how teachers are using our graphics. Contact us: knowablemagazine.org/contact-us
Building a nanobody library | Free educational graphics
This figure shows the five steps to building a nanobody library, including:
- Immunize a camelid
- Extract white blood cells
- Copy genes for nanobodies, insert into phages
- Generate phages that display nanobodies
- “Pan” for desired nanobodies
Scientists are investigating nanobodies and their diminutive brethren for all sorts of purposes.
This research may begin by building a nanobody library: To identify antibody fragments that work against a specific target, like SARS-CoV-2 or a cancer protein, researchers often start by immunizing a camel or shark with their target of interest.
A few weeks later, they take blood from the animal to get white blood cells. From those white blood cells, they make copies of the antibodies’ genes to insert into viruses called bacteriophages that display the nanobodies on their surface. Researchers can then sort through those nanobodies, like panning for gold to find the ones that attach to their protein of interest.
Read more in Knowable Magazine
Small wonders: The antibodies from camels and sharks that could change medicine
A handful of animals make a pared-down version of these pathogen-fighting proteins of our immune system. Scientists hope to harness them as treatments for ills from cancer to Covid, for tracking cells in the body, and more.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2023/animal-n...
Arming immune foot soldiers against cancer
Natural killer cells are born ready to attack the disease. Biologists are developing ways to make these cells tougher and more targeted.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/arming-i...
Q&A — Synthetic biologist Wendell Lim: How the body’s own defense cells can be turned into tiny, programmable assassins to battle cancers and other disorders
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2018/hacking-...
Take a deeper dive: Selected scholarly reviews
Applications of Nanobodies, Annual Review of Animal Biosciences
===
Knowable Magazine from Annual Reviews is a digital publication that seeks to make scientific knowledge accessible to all. Through compelling articles, beautiful graphics, engaging videos and more, Knowable Magazine explores the real-world impact of research through a journalistic lens. All content is rooted in deep reporting and undergoes a thorough fact-checking before publication.
The Knowable Magazine Science Graphics Library is an initiative to create freely available, accurate and engaging graphics for teachers and students. All graphics are curated from Knowable Magazine articles and are free for classroom use.
Knowable Magazine is an editorially independent initiative produced by Annual Reviews, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society.
==
We love to hear how teachers are using our graphics. Contact us: knowablemagazine.org/contact-us