Monoclonal antibody
Definition
An antibody produced from a single B-cell clone, recognising a single specific epitope. In forensic species identification, monoclonal antibodies offer higher specificity than polyclonal antisera, reducing cross-reactivity. They are the basis of modern commercial ELISA kits and lateral-flow strips validated for species-specific proteins such as muscle myosin or serum albumin.
Related terms
- Cross-reactivity
- The capacity of an antibody raised against one analyte to bind structurally related compounds. In RIA, cross-reactivity is the main driver of...
- Lateral-flow immunoassay
- A point-of-care competitive immunochromatographic format on a nitrocellulose strip. In the absence of drug, colloidal gold-labelled antibody is captured at a test...
- Precipitin test
- A serological method in which an antiserum specific to one species' proteins is mixed with an extract of an unknown specimen. Formation...
- ABO blood group system
- Classification of red blood cells by the presence or absence of A and B antigens on the cell membrane, determined by alleles...
- CITES
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a multilateral treaty signed in 1973 now with over...
- ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)
- A plate-based immunoassay format in which a target antigen is captured by an antibody bound to a solid surface, detected by a...
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
- An immunoassay format in which an enzyme-conjugated antibody produces a measurable colour change on substrate addition. Developed in 1971, adopted in forensic...
- HemaTrace ABAcard
- A lateral-flow device from Abacus Diagnostics that uses an anti-human haemoglobin monoclonal antibody. It is the most widely validated immunological blood confirmatory...
- Lateral-flow immunochromatographic assay
- A rapid, single-use immunoassay format in which sample extract migrates along a nitrocellulose membrane past a detection zone loaded with antigen-specific antibody...
- Prozone (hook) effect
- A false-negative agglutination result caused by antibody excess. When antibody molecules outnumber antigen sites, each site is occupied by a single antibody...
- Radioimmunoassay (RIA)
- An immunological quantification method developed in the late 1950s in which a radiolabelled antigen competes with unlabelled antigen for antibody binding sites....
- RSID-Blood
- Rapid Stain Identification of Blood, a lateral-flow strip from Independent Forensics that also targets human haemoglobin. Functionally equivalent to HemaTrace in principle;...
Explained in these topics
- History of Forensic Serology and Immunological MethodsAn antibody produced by a single clone of hybridoma cells and therefore specific to a single epitope. Their availability from the 1975 Kohler-Milstein method t...
- Immunological Confirmatory Tests for Human BloodAn antibody produced from a single cloned B-cell line, so that every molecule in the preparation binds the same epitope with the same affinity. Monoclonal anti...
- Immunological Testing in Wildlife Crime and Food Fraud InvestigationsAn antibody produced from a single B-cell clone, recognising a single specific epitope. In forensic species identification, monoclonal antibodies offer higher...