Polyclonal vs. Monoclonal Antibodies

What are antibodies?

Antibodies are Y shaped proteins produced by B cells as part of the immune response. They are specific for a target analyte and are used to detect or purify the target in a variety of different applications. Nowadays, it is possible to generate antibodies for a very wide range of targets and applications, often tailored specifically to your research needs.

Two common types of antibodies used in research applications are Polyclonal and Monoclonal antibodies.

Polyclonal Antibodies

Polyclonal Antibodies (PAbs) are immunoglobulins specific for an antigen. They are produced using multiple clones of immune cells for the whole target antigen and as a result, can bind many different epitopes on that antigen. Polyclonal antibodies are a good choice for general research applications due to their high sensitivity and excellent ability to bind to the target antigen.

Monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal Antibodies (MAbs) are immunoglobulins specific for a single epitope on an antigen. Monoclonal antibodies are identical particles produced using one clone of an immune cell and bind to the same epitope on the target antigen. Monoclonal antibodies are a good choice for more specific research applications or where high reproducibility or specificity for one epitope is necessary.

Advantages and Considerations

Polyclonal Antibodies

Benefits:

• Faster production
• Less expensive
• Enhanced sensitivity
• High affinity for antigen due to many epitopes being recognized
• Faster binding from high affinity
• Best for detecting a native protein
• Less likely to be affected by labelling

Considerations:

• Higher variability between batches
• More cross-reactivity potential

Monoclonal Antibodies

Benefits:

• High specificity for one epitope
• Very low variability between batches
• Less background
• Low cross-reactivity

Considerations:

• More expensive and time-consuming to produce
• Binding may be affected when labelled

Reddot Biotech’s Antibody Catalogue

Reddot Biotech offers an extensive range of Polyclonal and Monoclonal antibodies for research use. Choose from a number of hosts and reactivities, validated for applications such as ELISA, western blotting, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, or immunoprecipitation.

For more information on antibody application techniques, check out this Blog Post.