The production of monoclonal antibodies from human lymphocytes.

Two conceptually unique approaches are currently available for the production of human monoclonal antibodies - the 'hybridoma' technique, based on the fusion of antibody-producing B lymphocytes with plasmacytoma cells or lymphoblastoid cell lines; and the use of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to 'immortalize' antigen-specific, human B lymphocytes. Here Danuta Kozbor and, John Roder discuss the contribution each technique is making, alone or in combination, towards the desired aim of producing human monoclonal antibodies with a defined specificity.