title: A comparison of the reactivity of monoclonal and polyclonal Rh reagents with red cells after prolonged storage.
abstract: Previous studies with stored red cells collected into EDTA anticoagulant had shown that commercial polyclonal anti-C, -c, and -E reagents gave acceptable reactions for 60 days, hut polyclonal anti- e reagents reliably detected the e antigen only through 14 days. At that time it was noted that a monoclonal anti-e reacted 3+ to 4+ with red cells that no longer reacted, or reacted very weakly, with the polyclonal anti-e reagents. This observation led to a comparison study of the reactivity of monoclonal versus polyclonal R h reagents with stored red cells. Monoclonal and polyclonal anti-C, -c, and -E reagents showed comparable reaction strengths, and gave acceptable reactions over the entire testing period. Polyclonal anti-e reagents, which are known to he of lower titer, again did not give reliable reactions with stored cells after 14 days. However, three different monoclonal anti-e reagents were able to detect the presence of the e antigen on stored cells for many weeks, This study showed that the monoclonal anti-e reagents tested are superior to polyclonal anti-e reagents for typing specimens that have been stored for more than 14 days.
authors.affiliation: Blood Bank Consultation Services, Clinical Laboratories of Lincoln/A Nichols Institute Laboratory, and the University of Nebraska, 338 Manter Hall, Lincoln, NE 68688-0118, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Westhoff
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Sipherd
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Toalson