Monoclonal antibody technology.

The development, production, limitations, and uses of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) technology are presented. The first MoAbs were developed in 1975 using a process whereby the antibody-producing spleen cells of mice that had been immunized against sheep red blood cells were fused with the cells of a mouse myeloma cell line, producing hybridomas. These hybridoma cells are used to produce MoAbs, which are antibodies that will bind to only one specific target site on an antigen. Large quantities of MoAbs are grown, either in cell cultures or in the peritoneum of mice, and harvested. Although large quantities of MoAbs can be produced, these techniques are limited because of the potential for contamination by mouse viruses and the inability of the hybridomas to yield sufficient quantities of MoAbs. MoAbs are currently used in diagnostic techniques, including pregnancy tests and drug assays, as well as in tests for detecting viral and bacterial infections and cancer. MoAbs, coupled with dyes or radioactive isotopes, can be used in imaging techniques. Other possible applications of MoAbs include tissue typing, purification, therapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases, and treatment of drug toxicities. As the use of MoAbs in health care increases, pharmacists will need to have a good understanding of the functions and applications of these agents.