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Clonality
The antibody-binding site of an antigen is called an epitope. Monoclonal antibodies are identical in binding to only one epitope, because they were produced by clones of a single plasma cell. They were produced by Kohler and Milstein for the first time in 1975. It is possible to produce monoclonal antibodies from hybridoma cells, which is created by the fusion of precursors of plasma cells with immortal cells in B cell lineage. Contrary to monoclonal antibodies, antibodies recognizing antigens without distinguishing epitopes are called polyclonal antibodies.
  Monoclonal Polyclonal
Source Hybridoma cell (spleen cell) Serum
Characteristics Homogeneous Heterogeneous
Same immunoglobulin class and
subclass
Diverse immunoglobulin classes
Recognize a single epitope Recognize diverse epitopes
No difference between batches Different with batches
Produced from hybridoma cells
created by cell fusion
Collected from serum of mammals
after immunization
Isotypes
According to differences in their heavy chain constant domains, antibodies are classified into five isotypes: immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin E (IgE), immunoglobulin D (IgD). The five types of heavy chains are γ, μ, α, ε, δ.
There are subclasses in IgG, which are IgG1, 2. 3. 4 in humans.
Characteristics Ig G Ig M Ig A Ig E Ig D
Heavy chain γ μ α ε δ
Light chain λ or κ λ or κ λ or κ λ or κ λ or κ
Molecular weight 150,000 900,000 160,000 for
monomer
200,000 180,000
Additional protein
subunits
- J J and s - -
Structure
Concentration in serum 8-16 mg/ml 0.5-2 mg/ml 1-4 mg/ml 10-400 ng/ml 0-0.4 mg/ml
Percent of total Ig 80 6 13 0.002 0.2
Half-life 23 days 5 days 5.5 days 2. days 2.8 days
Distribution Intravascular and extravascular Mostly intra-vascular Intravascular
and secretions
On basophils and mast cells present in saliva and nasal secretions Present on lymphocyte surface
Function Secondary response Primary
response
Protects mucous membranes Protects against parasites(?) ?
Antiviral activity, antibacterial activity(gram negative),
antitoxin activity
Antiviral activity, antibacterial activity(gram negative with lysozyme), Antiviral activity, antibacterial activity(gram negative with complement),   Allergic activity