Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 13.1
Polyclonal antibody preparations of human or animal origin used to induce passive immunity
against specifi c biological agents
Antibody
Source
Specifi city
Anti-D immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against rhesus D antigen.
Botulism antitoxin
Horse
Specifi city against toxins of type A, B or E
Clostridium
botulinum
Cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin
Human
Antibodies exhibiting specifi city for cytomegalovirus
Diphtheria antitoxin
Horse
Antibodies raised against diphtheria toxoid
Diphtheria immunoglobulin
Human
Antibodies exhibiting specifi city for diphtheria toxoid
Endotoxin antibodies
Horse
Antibodies raised against gram negative bacterial LPS
Gas gangrene antitoxins
Horse
Antibodies raised against a-toxin of
Clostridum novyi
,
Clostridum perfringens
and
Clostridum septicum
H. infl uenzae
immunoglobulins
Human
Antibodies raised against surface capsular
polysaccharide of
H. infl uenzae
Hepatitis A immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against hepatitis A surface antigen
Hepatitis B immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against hepatitis B surface antigen
Leptospira
antisera
Animal
Antibodies raised against
Leptospira
icterohaemorrhagiae
(used to treat Weil's disease)
Measles immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against measles virus
Normal immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi cities against variety of infectious and other
biological agents prevalent in general population
Rabies immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against rabies virus
Scorpion venom antisera
Horse
Specifi city against venom of one or more species of
scorpion
Snake venom antisera
Horse
Antibodies raised against venom of various poisonous
snakes
Spider antivenins
Horse
Antibodies raised against venom of various spiders
Tetanus antitoxin
Horse
Specifi city against toxin of
Clostridium tetani
Tetanus immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city against toxin of
C. tetani
Tick-borne encephalitis immunoglobulin
Human
Antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus
Varicella-zoster
immunoglobulin
Human
Specifi city for causative agent of chicken pox
13.3 Monoclonal antibodies
In the last 20 years or so, antibody-based therapeutics have mainly focused upon the medical
application of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibody technology was fi rst developed in
the mid 1970s, when Kohler and Milstein successfully fused immortal myeloma cells with an-
tibody-producing B-lymphocytes. A proportion of the resultant hybrids were found to be stable,
cancerous, antibody-producing cells. These 'hybridoma' cells represented an inexhaustible source
of monospecifi c (monoclonal) antibody. Hybridoma technology facilitates the relatively straight-
forward production of monospecifi c antibodies against virtually any desired antigen.
The production process (Box 13.1) entails initial immunization of a mouse with the antigen of
interest. The mouse is subsequently sacrifi ced and its spleen removed. (The spleen is an organ
enriched in B-lymphocytes. Because of the immunization process, a signifi cant proportion of
these lymphocytes are likely capable of producing antibodies recognizing specifi c epitopes on the
antigen.)
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