The production of antibodies for use in research and development and in medicine has a long history. Although there is no doubt that the use抗体对我们对生物学的基本了解作出了重大贡献, they have also been singled out as a major factor in the poor reproducibility of many biology-based studies.
In a study by theHuman Protein Atlas, a Swedish consortium whose goal is to generate antibodies directed against every protein in the human genome, the functionality of approximately 9,000 internally generated antibodies was evaluated. The consortiumfound that less than 50% were effectivefor examining protein distribution in preserved slices of tissue (failures were detected on the basis of a staining pattern not consistent with experimental and/or bioinformatics data).
在另一个studycomprising assessment of 246 antibodies widely used in the field of epigenetics,研究人员透露，25％的试剂失败了tests for specificity, with some actually displaying high specificities for incorrect molecular targets. The issue of抗体质量仍然是科学家迫切的挑战. Accordingly, numerous current initiatives aim to facilitate the availability of data regarding antibody quality and to develop validation standards for such reagents; a prominent example is the recently formed International Working Group on Antibody Validation(IWGAV.).
The production of antibodies for use as reagents
Researchers continue to investigate why some antibodies purchased from commercial sources or generated in-house exhibit poor performance in downstream applications.This problem can often be traced back to technical oversights, incomplete characterization, or shortcuts that result in suboptimal functionality.
抗体的产生是复杂的，并且各种因素会影响抗体产生过程的每相。仔细考虑所涉及的抗体的每一步用作试剂通常代表获得异常抗体和较少的有用差的抗体之间的差异。
| Exception antibody features | 质量差的抗体特征 |
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It should be noted that the last two characteristics mentioned will have a direct relationship to the cost of producing the antibody.
一个结果poor quality antibodyintended for use as a reagent often requires the re-optimization of its characteristics, but starting the process from scratch is hardly desirable, due to the high manufacturing costs and significant delays associated with developing new antibodies.在优化过程中的前线投资为研究人员提供了生成抗体的最佳机会，即长期会满足他们的需求。
Although this may require a higher initial investment and could extend the pre-production timeline, it can substantially reduce the financial, regulatory, and/or scientific consequences resulting from the production of poor-quality antibodies.
Academic and industry researchers often find themselves relying on poorly performing commercially available antibodies. However, with careful planning, high-quality antibodies can be generated before embarking on studies that require the generation of consistent and reproducible data.
Outcomes - commercial insights
Increasing the chances of developing an exceptional antibody requires careful planning from the earliest stages, including selection and preparation of the antigen.This up-front investment will position the antibody for success, saving time, effort, and money over the long run.
Depending on the ultimate application of your antibody, one should begin with an open-mind and give consideration whether a polyclonal antibody or monoclonal antibody is the best fit for your application.
You can also learn more by reading real lifecase studiesto help you determine which antibody products are the best fit.
