Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Generation of Discriminative Human Monoclonal Antibodies from Rare Antigen-specific B Cells Circulating in Blood
Published on: February 6, 2018
Historical development of monoclonal antibody therapeutics
1Bone and Joint Research Unit, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK. a.nissim@qmul.ac.uk
Abstract:
Since the first publication by Kohler and Milstein on the production of mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by hybridoma technology, mAbs have had a profound impact on medicine by providing an almost limitless source of therapeutic and diagnostic reagents. Therapeutic use of mAbs has become a major part of treatments in various diseases including transplantation, oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. The limitation of murine mAbs due to immunogenicity was overcome by replacement of the murine sequences with their human counterpart leading to the development of chimeric, humanized, and human therapeutic antibodies. Remarkable progress has also been made following the development of the display technologies, enabling of engineering antibodies with modified properties such as molecular size, affinity, specificity, and valency. Moreover, antibody engineering technologies are constantly advancing to enable further tuning of the effector function and serum half life. Optimal delivery to the target tissue still remains to be addressed to avoid unwanted side effects as a result of systemic treatment while achieving meaningful therapeutic effect.
Related Concept Videos
Hybridoma Technology
Hybridoma Selection
Commonly used fusion techniques — electroporation, polyethylene glycol...
Antibody Structure and Classes
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.
Antibody Structure
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

