Monoclonal Antibody Services

MDS develops customized monoclonal antibodies following a four-step program including immunization,fusion, fusion analysis, and ascites or tissue culture production.

Immunization: MDS designs custom immunization protocols for antigen provided by the client. Immunized animals are monitored for antibody responses with assays provided by the client or developed by MDS. Selected animals are used as spleen donors for hybridoma development.

Fusion: Spleen cells are fused with two different myeloma cell lines. Screening protocols are tailored to maximize the detection of antibody-producing hybridomas. Hybridomas that produce the desired antibody are sub-cloned and monoclonality is confirmed.

Fusion analysis: Concurrent with fusion, hybridomas are evaluated for reactivity with antigen and, if necessary, other potential cross-reactants. A variety of assay formats is available for this process. In many cases, clients may choose to perform their own reactivity analysis. Analysis of antibody subtypes is performed on final hybridomas.

Alternate ascites production: Ascites is produced for selected hybridomas. Multiple mice are injected with each hybridoma cell line, and as ascites develops their abdomens are tapped.