Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Plant antibodies for immunotherapy

J K Ma¹, M B Hein

¹Department of Immunology, United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

Plant Physiology

|October 1, 1995

Summary

Plants can produce complex therapeutic antibodies, offering a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional methods. This technology holds significant promise for future pharmaceutical development and production.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

[Surgery-based multimodal therapy for cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 117 cases].

Zhonghua er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Chinese journal of otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery·2026

Same author

[Efficacy of suture ligation combined with pingyangmycin injection on pharyngolaryngeal cavernous hemangioma].

Zhonghua yi xue za zhi·2025

Same author

[Analysis of tumor regression after concurrent radiochemotherapy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma].

Zhonghua yi xue za zhi·2024

Same author

[Clinical analysis of retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

Zhonghua zhong liu za zhi [Chinese journal of oncology]·2023

Same author

[Efficacy of surgical comprehensive therapy for 456 cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma].

Zhonghua er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Chinese journal of otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery·2023

Same author

[The effect of cervical lymph node metastasis density on prognosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma].

Zhonghua er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Chinese journal of otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery·2022

Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Molecular Biology
Plant Science

Background:

Mammalian protein expression in plant cells was first reported in 1989, sparking interest in therapeutic antibody production.
Advancements in recombinant expression systems and cell culture have improved yields, but plants offer unique advantages.
Plants can assemble complex proteins like secretory IgA (SIgA) and provide antibodies in bulk at low cost.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the potential of plant-based expression systems for producing therapeutic antibodies.
To highlight the unique advantages of plants for large-scale, cost-effective antibody manufacturing.
To discuss the future prospects of plant molecular farming for pharmaceuticals.

Main Methods:

The study reviews the historical development and current state of using plants for recombinant protein production.
It emphasizes the capability of plant cells to perform complex protein assembly, including glycosylation.
The potential for 'immunization' of plants for antibody production is also considered.

Main Results:

Plants have demonstrated the ability to correctly assemble complex mammalian proteins, such as SIgA molecules.
Plant-based systems offer a scalable and low-cost method for producing antibodies in bulk.
The unique protein assembly capabilities of plants are comparable to mammalian cells.

Conclusions:

Plant-based expression systems represent a viable and advantageous platform for therapeutic antibody production.
The low cost and scalability of plant systems make them attractive for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Future research in plant 'immunization' and molecular farming is expected to drive significant growth in the field.

Related Experiment Videos