Monoclonal antibodies now have applications in virtually all areas of biology and medicine, and much of the world's biotechnology industry has its foundations in the exploitation of this industry. The Third Edition of this well-established book meets the needs of both newcomers to the area and experienced researchers, by providing an integrated treatment of both the production and application of monoclonal antibodies. As in previous editions, detailed and critical accounts of the theory, production, purification, fragmentation, storage, and radiolabelling of monoclonal antibodies are given, along with descriptions of their use in antigen characterization, affinity chromatography, and immunoflourescence. The present volume has been comprehensively updated to cover recent rapid advances, particularly with respect to the applications of molecular biology, the use of antibodies in cloning, and heterologous expression of genes, immunohistology, and phage display libraries. Since the previous edition, there has been a growing trend towards the replacement of procedures using radioactive isotopes, and the current edition incorporates these newer technologies. The text is organized towards problem solving, and makes it easy to adapt each procedure to individual needs. Extensive cross-referencing, a glossary, and a comprehensive index make this book an essential reference. This book will be vital for both laboratories already producing or using monoclonal antibodies, and for workers in many disciplines who are contemplating their use.

Key Features

• Provides an integrated treatment of both the production and application of monoclonals in cell biology, biochemistry, and immunology
• Gives detailed and critical accounts of the theory, production, purification, storage, and relabelling of monoclonals, and their use in antigen characterization, affinity chromatography, and immunofluorescence
• Comprehensively updated to cover the rapid advances that have occurred since the publication of the second edition