ABSTRACT
Since the first report of the production of a rat monoclonal antibody, 1 many other antibodies with different specificity and from various immunoglobulin classes and subclasses have been obtained. For use in immunochemical assays as well as for therapeutic purposes, the preparation of fragments F(ab’)2 or Fab is often necessary, for example, to avoid the nonspecific binding of antibodies to cell surface receptors. In the present chapter, procedures for the preparation of monovalent fragments, Fab or Fab-like, and bivalent fragments, F(ab’)2 or F(ab)2-like, are described for rat monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Methods and optimal conditions will mainly be focussed on IgG subclasses. Preparation of proteolytic fragments from monoclonal rat IgE will also be reported.
