title: The use of monoclonal antibodies in the molecular typing of animal viruses.
abstract: Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are biological reagents which have a definite structure. They identify epitopes with total specificity. Such specificity is based on the exact physico-chemical structure of antigens. Thus MAbs provide a unique link between chemical structure and antigenic properties and can give great insight into the functional properties of biological agents. The author describes a number of applications of MAbs in the characterisation of foot and mouth disease viruses for diagnostic purposes, and in research into the antigenic nature of these viruses.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Crowther
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D005537:Aphthovirus / Q000145:classification; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes