Monoclonal antibodies are proteins of a single known specificity and homogeneous structure that are produced in tissue culture. These antibodies are produced from hybridomas of an antibody-secreting cell and a myeloma cell.
Monoclonal antibodies are very important in medicine.
Antibodies are used in a number of different treatments fighting diseases such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, and asthma. Animal and plant proteins required for the production and purification of the antibody need to be reduced to non-detectable levels. This can be done by using a series of chromatography and filtration steps.