Unlike conventional antibodies which have both a heavy and a light chain, camelids (comprising mammals that include the camels, llamas, and alpacas) can produce antibodies that have a single heavy chain antigen-recognition domain (known as VHH) capable of binding to small antigens. These smaller antibodies accommodate easier genetic engineering into nanobodies, reducing production costs while maintaining high affinity, high specificity, and improved thermostability and solubility. The VHH structure lends itself to the addition of scaffold and tags for effective detection and other experimental applications.