Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs): These are derived from a single clone of antibody-producing cells and recognize a single epitope (a specific region) of an antigen. They are highly specific and typically have less batch-to-batch variability. Polyclonal antibodies (pAbs): These are produced by multiple clones of antibody-producing cells and can recognize multiple epitopes on an antigen. They are more versatile but may have greater batch-to-batch variability.