title: The use of monoclonal antibodies in demonstrating the effect of antibody heterogeneity on immune complex size.
abstract: The effect of antibody heterogeneity on immune complex size was investigated by using monoclonal antibodies. Five monoclonal antibodies which bind different antigenic determinants of human serum albumin were used to produce immune complexes. When one or two different monoclonal antibodies were used, under antigen-excess, antigen-antibody equivalent, and antibody-excess conditions, hardly any immune complexes larger than mouse IgM were produced. On the other hand, in a representative experiment, when five different monoclonal antibodies were used, immune complexes larger than mouse IgM comprised 21.5% of the total antigen under antigen-antibody equivalent conditions, 18.2% under antibody-excess conditions, and 4.3% under antigen-excess conditions. These results indicate that antibody heterogeneity is one of the important factors determining immune complex size.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000939:Epitopes; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012709:Serum Albumin