What Is Polyclonal Antiserum? Answers Here

  • Thread starter sotellme
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In summary, polyclonal antiserum is a type of antibody that is produced by immunizing an animal with an antigen and then isolating the serum from the animal's blood. This antiserum contains antibodies that recognize multiple epitopes, making them more robust. They can be purified using protein A or protein G.
  • #1
sotellme
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What is polyclonal antiserum? I have checked the net, but could not find any good explanation on it. :grumpy:

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
You should be looking for polyclonal antibodies: they recognize multiple epitopes, making them more robust to small changes in the antigen. Monoclonal antibodies react only to one epitope, making them highly specific, but they are more expensive and take longer to develop.
 
  • #3
So polyclonal antiserum is the same as polyclonal antibodies? :uhh:
 
  • #4
You immunize an animal with an antigen, after which you isolate blood and get serum from that. That is your antiserum that will contain antibodies to the antigen. You can purify the serum with protein A, or protein G, depending on the chemistry.
 
Last edited:

What is polyclonal antiserum?

Polyclonal antiserum is a type of serum that contains a mixture of antibodies produced by different B cells in response to a specific antigen.

How is polyclonal antiserum produced?

Polyclonal antiserum is produced by injecting an animal, usually a rabbit or goat, with a specific antigen. The animal's immune system will respond by producing a variety of antibodies against the antigen. The antibodies are then collected from the animal's blood and purified to create the polyclonal antiserum.

What is the difference between polyclonal and monoclonal antiserum?

Polyclonal antiserum contains a mixture of antibodies produced by different B cells, while monoclonal antiserum contains only one type of antibody produced by a single clone of B cells. Monoclonal antiserum is produced in a laboratory through cell culture techniques, while polyclonal antiserum is produced in animals.

What is polyclonal antiserum used for?

Polyclonal antiserum is commonly used in research and diagnostic applications to detect and quantify specific antigens. It can also be used therapeutically to treat certain diseases and conditions by providing passive immunity.

Are there any concerns or limitations with using polyclonal antiserum?

One potential concern with using polyclonal antiserum is the presence of non-specific antibodies, which may bind to unrelated antigens and produce false positive results. Additionally, the production of polyclonal antiserum in animals can raise ethical concerns and there may be batch-to-batch variability in the composition of the antiserum.

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