ABSTRACT
The hybridoma technique for obtaining a monoclonal antibody of defined specificity, as first reported by Köhler and Milstein, has an enormous impact on many areas of biological and medical research. The discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) has contributed significantly to the understanding of human immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Unlike most Ig classes, IgE is normally present in very low concentrations in serum. There is considerable controversy on the existence of Fc receptor (FcR) for various Ig classes and subclasses on various cell types and their functions. FcR for almost all the classes and subclasses have been identified on lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages. Hybridoma technology has brought a new dimension to biochemical research. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to many proteins have been reported. These mAbs provide tools for purification of proteins, probing the structure of proteins, studying structure-function relationships, detection of proteins in solutions by immunoassays, and detection of proteins in various tissues by immunocytochemistry.
