Adoptive Transfer Immunization of Mice

This procedure is designed to enrich and expand antibody-forming cells for use in generating monoclonal antibodies. Gamma-irradiation is used to wipe out the immune system in a recipient animal, after which spleen cells that have reverted to memory cells are obtained from syngeneic donor animals and transferred to the irradiated animal, allowing the implanted immune cells to take over. This method can produce an 80-fold enrichment of antibody-producing cells over that obtained in the original immunized animal.