Dear everyone,
We generated mAbs via hybridoma systems. The mAbs show high antigen binding affinity and specificty. However I still wonder what is the best way improve the strength of the mAb?
To generate the mAbs, we immunized an antigen to mice. As far as I know, there are some other host animals can be used as well. Instead of immunized animals, can we clone a mAb from infected animals? In the case of using a mAb for competitive ELISA to detect antigen specific Abs in serum samples of A animals, should we generate mAb from A animal instead of mice?
Thank you very much.
I'd say is easier to obtain new high affinity antibodies that improving the affinity of those you have.
The challenge of making MAb from other species is obtaining suitable fusion cell lines. Scientists have made much effort in developing alternatives, but so far nothing works anywhere near as well as Sp2/0.
Hello,
The previous answers are very complete. I will only add that one of the common ways to increase the probability of having more Abs with high affinity in the sera of the immunized animals is to give them several immunizations (3 to 4) and in some cases, even decrease a bit the antigen dose in the final immunizations. The avidity of the sensitized sera could be even increased by choosing highly immunogenic antigen(s) instead of immunization with complex antigenic mixtures.