Preparation of monoclonal antibodies using ion exchange chromatography

One of the most successful methods for the preparation of pure monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is ion exchange chromatography. It is not dependent on the reaction of immunoglobulins with immobilized ligands, as is the case of adsorption chromatography, which uses either protein A or G, but on the charge of the biomolecules. Some immunoglobulins bind only weakly or not at all to protein A or G, and for these molecules ion exchange is the method of choice. Additional advantages of ion exchange are its high resolving power, high capacity (capable of large scale purification), and the relative ease with which it can be controlled.