ABSTRACT
The introduction of hybridoma technology in parasitology has greatly contributed to our understanding of parasitic diseases. If a large majority of the observations published since 1979 has been performed with mouse monoclonal antibodies, several studies have particularly evolved with the construction of rat x rat hybridomas. We will further illustrate this topic with some of the original observations performed in Schistosoma mansoni infection with particular emphasis on the characterization of putative protective antigens, the analysis of effector and regulatory mechanisms, and the monoclonal anti-idiotypic approach of this infection. But before coming to the heart of the subject we would like to focus on some of the essential characteristics of S. mansoni infection that could also justify the choice of the rat model.
