Innovative Antibody Solutions for Modern Biotechnology
Antibodies are specialized affinity proteins that play a crucial role in humoral immunity. Their primary function lies in their ability to recognize and bind foreign antigens with high specificity and affinity. In addition to this, antibodies act as adaptor molecules that help recruit immune cells to carry out a variety of effector responses. There are five major classes of antibodies immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM each serving distinct immune functions. Among these, IgG is the most prevalent, accounting for roughly 75% of all serum immunoglobulins. IgG antibodies are further divided into four subclasses, which differ in both their concentration and their capacity to mediate specific immune responses.
Types of Antibody-Based Solutions
Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs)
mAbs are laboratory-produced antibodies that originate from a single clone of B cells and are designed to recognize and bind to a specific epitope on an antigen. Unlike polyclonal antibodies, which consist of a mixture of immunoglobulin molecules targeting multiple epitopes, mAbs are homogeneous and highly specific.
Polyclonal Antibodies (pAbs)
pAbs are a heterogeneous mixture of immunoglobulin molecules produced by different B cell clones in response to an antigen. Each antibody in the mixture recognizes a different epitope (antigenic determinant) on the same antigen, providing broad coverage and high sensitivity in binding.
Key Applications in Biotechnology
Therapeutics
Cancer therapy: Target tumor-specific antigens (e.g., HER2, PD-1).
Autoimmune diseases: Block inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF inhibitors).
Infectious diseases: Neutralize pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 or HIV.
Rare genetic disorders: Deliver enzyme replacements or inhibit toxic proteins
Diagnostics
ELISA, Western blot, immunohistochemistry: Use antibodies to detect specific biomolecules.
Lateral flow assays: Rapid tests (e.g., COVID-19 antigen tests).
Biosensors: Antibody-coated sensors detect disease markers in real time.
Research Tools
Flow cytometry, immunoprecipitation, confocal microscopy.
Antibodies help localize, quantify, and analyze proteins in cells and tissues.
Drug Discovery and Development
Antibodies used in target validation, biomarker identification, and high-throughput screening.