A. What is the difference between polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies? B. How is each ...

A. Polyclonal antibodies are a mixture of antibodies of different specificities and affinities for a particular antigen. They are the product of numerous different B cells. Monoclonal antibodies have a single specificity and affinity for a given antigen. They derive from a single B cell.
B. Polyclonal antibodies are produced in vivo by immunizing an animal with antigen, allowing sufficient time for an immune response to occur and then preparing antiserum containing the antibodies from the blood. Monoclonal antibodies are made in vitro from individual cell lines derived from single B cells. This is achieved by producing a hybrid immortalized cell line through the fusion of an antibody-producing B cell with a myeloma tumor cell to produce an antibody-producing hybridoma.' A hybridoma producing the desired antibody can then be cloned and grown on to produce unlimited amounts of monoclonal antibody.

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