Monoclonal Antibodies

Although the technology for the production of monoclonal antibodies emerged over five years ago it is clear that, for anyone outside the immediacy of a laboratory practising the method on a day-to-day basis, there hangs an aura of uncertainty over the specific details of the technique. The appearance of this volume has gone a long way toward removing this uncertainty. The multi-author contributions span a very broad area of application including monoclonal antibodies to soluble protein antigens, membrane glycoproteins and viral antigens. There are two introductory chapters describing the necessary fundamental background to hybridoma technology and an extremely valuable appendix giving detailed protocols for the various stages in the production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies. The format of the separate contributions is that of a scientific paper and hence the level is pitched with the advanced undergraduate, graduate student or postdoctoral research worker in mind. The contributors have clearly been conscious of the value of detailed data when presenting new applications of a relatively novel technique although for reasons of brevity the discussion of data is sometimes underplayed. There is wide variation in the detailed protocol adopted by different contributors which might be the only criticism of editorial policy and for that reason the schemes described in the Appendix inevitably reflect a particular bias. Having said that, the difficulty of reaching a common consensus vis-a-vis protocols for a given type of antigen is enormous and the path this book has taken, of leaving some room for manoeuvre between different protocols, has probably been the best compromise. Kennett et al have produced a very valuable methodological aid to both the practising hybridoma laboratory worker and the inexperienced beginner. - A.R. Rees