Ritter M A
Department of Immunology, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Methods Mol Med. 2000;40:23-34. doi: 10.1385/1-59259-076-4:23.
The breadth of repertoire yet beautiful specificity of the antibody response is the key to its physiological efficacy in vivo; it also underpins the attractiveness of antibodies as laboratory and clinical reagents. One aspect of the body's reaction to invasion by a microorganism is the activation and clonal expansion of antigen-reactive B lymphocytes. Once these have matured into plasma cells, each clone of cells will secrete its own unique specificity of antibody-thus, the invading pathogen will be met by a barrage of antibody molecules capable of binding to many different sites on its surface. Such a polyclonal response, whose range of specificities and affinities can shift with time, is ideal for combatting infection, and indeed for certain laboratory applications (such as secondary reagents for immunoassay); however, in many experimental and clinical situations the ability to have an unlimited supply of a single antibody that is clearly defined and of reproducible specificity and affinity is of greater value. To produce such a reagent it is necessary to isolate and culture a single clone of B lymphocytes secreting antibody of the appropriate characteristics-that is, to produce a monoclonal antibody (mAb).
抗体反应的多样性及其美妙的特异性是其在体内生理功效的关键；这也支撑了抗体作为实验室和临床试剂的吸引力。机体对微生物入侵的反应之一是抗原反应性B淋巴细胞的激活和克隆扩增。一旦这些细胞成熟为浆细胞，每个细胞克隆都会分泌具有自身独特特异性的抗体——因此，入侵的病原体将面对一系列能够结合其表面许多不同位点的抗体分子。这种多克隆反应，其特异性和亲和力范围会随时间变化，非常适合对抗感染，实际上也适用于某些实验室应用（如免疫测定的二抗试剂）；然而，在许多实验和临床情况下，能够无限供应一种明确界定、具有可重复特异性和亲和力的单一抗体具有更大的价值。要生产这样一种试剂，就需要分离并培养分泌具有适当特性抗体的单一B淋巴细胞克隆——也就是说，生产单克隆抗体（mAb）。
