Patent ID: 8304200

Claim:
A method of enriching a population of cells in those cells which produce an antibody that recognises an antigen of interest wherein the population of cells is derived from one or more animal immunised with an untagged antigen of interest, and wherein an unlabelled antigen of interest is used in conjunction with a labelled polyclonal antibody that recognizes said antigen of interest, wherein the population of cells is enriched by: a) bringing said population into contact with an antibody that recognises a marker which is essentially unique to those cells present in a population which are capable of producing an antibody, said antibody that recognises a marker being attached to a first fluorescent label; b) bringing said population into contact with the antigen of interest, which is unlabelled; c) bringing said population into contact with a sample comprising a polyclonal antibody that recognises said antigen, said polyclonal antibody being attached to a second fluorescent label and wherein said polyclonal antibody is prepared from a sample of blood from said immunised animal; and d) separating from the population those cells which are detectable by virtue of being associated with the first and second fluorescent labels.