title: Monoclonal versus polyclonal antibodies: distinguishing characteristics, applications, and information resources.
abstract: Antibodies are host proteins that comprise one of the principal effectors of the adaptive immune system. Their utility has been harnessed as they have been and continue to be used extensively as a diagnostic and research reagent. They are also becoming an important therapeutic tool in the clinician's armamentarium to treat disease. Antibodies are utilized for analysis, purification, and enrichment, and to mediate or modulate physiological responses. This overview of the structure and function of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies describes features that distinguish one from the other. A limited review of their use as specific research, diagnostic, and therapeutic reagents and a list of printed and electronic resources that can be utilized to garner additional information on these topics are also included.
authors.affiliation: Research Animal Resource Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Lipman
authors.forename: Lynn R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Trudel
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weis-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents