Clinical uses of monoclonal antibodies.
Immunization of animals for the purpose of generating antisera for clinical and experimental use results in the production of antibodies with multiple specificities directed at the parent antigen. Furthermore, if the immunogen contains contaminants of a highly immunogenic nature, large amounts of irrelevant antibody will be generated and which must subsequently be absorbed. The unpredictable nature of heteroantisera can be overcome by adopting the monoclonal antibody technique which allows one to produce standardized antibody with well defined and selected specificity toward a given epitope on a macromolecule. Cross-reactions are not eliminated by monoclonal antibodies.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D007118:Immunoassay; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D051379:Mice; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D007202:Indicators and Reagents