mercredi 19 février 2014

All About Polyclonal Antibodies

By Armand Zeiders


Antibodies are a type of protein produced by our bodies to fight disease. Specific white blood cells, known as plasma cells, secrete these antibodies which basically head out on a search and destroy mission, searching for bacteria and viruses. This process is a function of our immune system.

Scientists have identified thousands of different types of bacterial infections and viruses and are currently studying everything from variants of the common cold to serious, life-threatening viruses. The hope is that new medicines and vaccines can either lessen the effects or eradicate these illnesses. Scientists create and study polyclonal antibodies to help with this process.

To create these polyclonal antibodies, laboratory workers inject a lab animal with an antigen, which is a toxin that forces the body's immune system to respond and attack the new bacteria or virus. The plasma cells release antibodies to fight the toxin, and then immune cells attack the toxin. The researcher will then take a blood sample from the animal, purify the polyclonal antibodies and then study the effect of these antibodies when used on specific viruses or bacteria.

While scientists study the effects, the actual work of creating the polyclonal antibody is typically completed by a specialized lab that produces important medical specimens for research purposes. These labs offer a variety of helpful services such as creating an antibody using proteins and antigens given to them by the research team or perhaps against recombinant protein or even against synthetic peptides. There are many options available, and the process of creating these polyclonal antibodies generally takes a lab about seven weeks to complete.

By studying these polyclonal antibodies, scientists create new vaccines and new antiserums to combat deadly diseases such as Ebola. There are five different known forms of Ebola, and some types have a mortality rate higher than 90%. Epidemics of Ebola have killed thousands of people worldwide, and even three lab workers have been killed after coming into contact with this highly toxic virus.

While much research is being done, no vaccine has been created to effectively eliminate Ebola, nor has an antiserum seen widespread success. One antiserum, which was designed using polyclonal antibodies, has been used to treat victims of Ebola with limited success. However, scientists are convinced that with further studies, medicines and vaccines can be created, and polyclonal antibodies may very well be the key to solving the mysteries of Ebola and hundreds of other serious ailments.




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