Antibodies, monoclonal

Antibody specific for a single antigenic determinant (or epitope) only. Monoclonal antibodies are immunoglobulin molecules that have identical binding sites and are produced by hybridoma cells derived from a single B lymphocyte. Georg Köhler and Cesar Milstein were awarded the 1984 Nobel Prize for Medicine for their production method. In the procedure, the antigen of a mouse is injected and its "mortal" B-lymphocytes are fused with an "immortal" cancer cell. Those hybridoma cells are selected whose antibodies react highly specifically with the antigen. These hybridomas are used for the biotechnological production of the monoclonal antibodies (see also "Monoclonal antibodies - internal medicine").