Monoclonal Antibody Center
華盛頓州立大學(xué)單克隆抗體中心(Monoclonal Antibody Center)是WSU的服務(wù)中心。它提供了一系列與WSU關(guān)聯(lián)的研究人員和臨床醫(yī)生的單克隆抗體的生產(chǎn)和特性相關(guān)的服務(wù)。該中心的研究常用于臨床問題。臨床研究是對(duì)具有天然疾病的動(dòng)物的有效性進(jìn)行評(píng)估的新藥物或手術(shù)的測(cè)試。在某些情況下,將新藥或手術(shù)的有效性與目前可用的治療方法進(jìn)行比較。VCS的學(xué)院還與大學(xué)其他部門的教師合作。
In the mid 70s, a group of investigators demonstrated
in mice that it is possible to immortalize B lymphocytes producing single
monospecific antibodies (mAbs) by fusing B lymphocytes to tissue culture
adapted myeloma (malignant form of an antibody producing cell) cells. The
hybrid cells (hybridomas) were stable and could be maintained in culture
indefinitely or preserved in liquid nitrogen for later use. These
findings represented a major breakthrough in the way antibody reagents
could be developed for basic and biomedical research. Mice could be
immunized with antigens of interest and then used as a source of B lymphocytes
to produce mAbs of known specificity. The spleen was shown to be the best
source of B lymphocytes for making hybridomas. Hybridomas producing the
desired mAbs could be identified by examining culture medium from primary
cultures of fused cells. In subsequent investigations, myeloma fusion partners
were developed that could only grow in selective growth medium if fused to
a B lymphocyte, eliminating the problem of distinguishing hybridomas from
cells that had not fused with a B lymphocyte. Myeloma fusion partners were
later identified that could no longer produce their own antibody but could
produce antibody derived from the B lymphocyte. These advances simplified
and improved the methodology for producing mAbs.
Research universities, research institutes and industry established core
facilities to exploit mAb technology to develop mAbs for use as analytical
tools in the biological and biomedical sciences, in the characterization
of the immune system, study the mechanisms by which pathogens cause disease,
develop improved diagnostic assays, and identify antigens from pathogens
that can be used in subunit vaccines. Because of our research needs, we
started developing mAbs for use in food and companion animal research and diagnostic medicine
in 1979. To encourage other investigators to use mAb technology, we sponsored
the first international symposium and workshop ‘Impact of Monoclonal
Antibody Technology on Animal and Plant Agricultural Research’ in June of
1982. We also participated in a workshop sponsored by the National Research
Council of the National Academy of Science on ‘Priorities in Biotechnology
Research for International Development held in July of 1982, a symposium
sponsored by the USDA ‘Hybridoma Technology in Agricultural and
Veterinary Research’ held in Oct. of 1983 and an international conference
sponsored by the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases
‘The Ruminant Immune System In Health and Disease’ held in Kenya Africa
in September 1983. In 1984, we co-sponsored a meeting with Australia
‘Characterization of the Bovine Immune System and the Genes Regulating
Expression of Immunity with Particular Reference to their Role in
Disease Resistance’ held in Honolulu, Hawaii. During this period of time,
we developed some of the first sets of mAbs for use in the study of the
immune system in food and companion animals. We also participated in all
the international workshops to characterize the first sets of mAbs.