A rapid and efficient immunization protocol for production of monoclonal antibodies reactive with autoantigens.

A simple, time-saving and efficient immunization method suitable for the production of mouse monoclonal antibody secreting hybridomas is described. Draining lymph nodes isolated 9 days after a primary immunization were used as the source of antibody producing cells. No systemic spread of antibody producing cells or specific antibodies could be detected. The present protocol was employed to generate a panel of collagen type II reactive monoclonal antibodies. Most of the monoclonals so generated were found to be of the IgG class.