Research Digest: What are Recombinant Antibodies? From Production to Application

Overview:

Recombinant antibodies are produced through recombinant DNA technology. Unlike conventional antibodies that are generated in animals or humans, recombinant antibodies are produced in vitro, using various expression systems. This process involves inserting the gene sequences encoding the antibody into a suitable expression vector and then transfecting this vector into host cells (such as bacteria, yeast, insect cells, or mammalian cells), which then produce the antibody.

Key Advantages of Recombinant Antibodies:

1. Consistency and Reproducibility: Since they are produced from cloned DNA sequences, recombinant antibodies have highly consistent and reproducible properties, unlike animal-derived antibodies that vary from batch to batch .
2. Specificity and Affinity: Recombinant technology allows for the selection and optimization of antibodies with high specificity and affinity for their target antigens.
3. Scalability: Large-scale production is more feasible and controllable with recombinant antibodies than with traditional methods (like animal-derived antibodies).
4. Lower Immunogenicity: For therapeutic use, recombinant antibodies can be humanized or made fully human to reduce the risk of immune reactions in patients.

Read more on types, production, and applications of recombinant antibodies here!