en Nanobodies: emerging tools for clinical applications تخصصي Special پژوهشي orginal article Since the introduction of heavy-chain antibodies (HcAbs) two decades ago and the explanation of nanobodies, valuable biochemical properties of nanobodies have generated the interest of researchers on their use in diagnosis and therapy of tumor. Various specific nanobodies (VHHs or sdAbs) have been selected from library and detected high affinity with their antigens. The small size of nanobodies (~15 kDa, 4 nm long and 2.5 nm wide) make it easy for them to penetrate the tissue or get through the blood brain barrier as drugs. &nbsp;Furthermore, nanobodies have been offered in conjugates with other effector domains and in drug delivery systems as targeting for tumors. The nanobodies has the potential to make effective biomedical carriers in the fields of research, diagnostics and therapy. In this review we have explained the important advances in the field of nanobodies. Nevertheless, there are many potentials to further develop and improve nanobody-mediated tumor targeting. In the near future, new targets and their corresponding nanobodies must be identified. Currently, some researchers exploited available nanobodies against tumor-specific receptors for delivering drugs or toxins to tumors, therewith reducing nonspecific toxicity to normal cells and lessening side effects. In conclusion, nanobodies as targeting carrier appear to be a promising method of tumor targeting therapy and diagnosis.<br> &nbsp; Nanobodies, tumor targeting, clinical applications 81 90 http://ijrabms.umsu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Aghebati-Maleki ali.aghebati.maleki@gmail.com 1003194753284600446 1003194753284600446 Yes Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS), Zanjan, Iran Leila Aghebati-Maleki leili_aghebati_maleki@yahoo.com 1003194753284600447 1003194753284600447 No Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran