Monoclonal Antibodies

Abstract Monoclonal Antibodies: A Practical Approach covers the preparation, testing, derivation, and applications of monoclonal antibodies. New immunological techniques incorporating tried and tested methodologies are described, making the book of interest to established and inexperienced immunologists. Both the standard somatic hybridization technique and recombinant techniques, including the use of phage libraries, for the preparation of rodent and human monoclonal antibodies are described. Protocols for both the small and large scale production are detailed, as well as purification and labelling (with both radioisotopes and non-radioisotopes) methods. The applications of monoclonal antibodies in immunoblotting, enzyme linked immunoassays, immunofluorescence, and FACS analysis are all covered in detail. Finally protocols are given for the use of monoclonal antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis, tissue typing, detecting DNA modified during chemotherapy, and in the clinical analysis of transplantation samples for malignancy. This book will therefore be an invaluable laboratory companion to anyone using monoclonal antibodies in their research.