Primary antibodies are becoming increasingly popular investigate tool to use in research, given the breadth and selection of product on the market. Not only are antibodies raised in a variety of hosts, they also have proven reactivity with a wide range of species applying to many research fields and models. From here one can select a desired clonality, choosing polyclonal or monoclonal depending on the target of interest. With monoclonal antibodies, it can be taken one step further to hone in on a specific clone of interest. With all of the different options available, it can be difficult to choose your ideal antibody. Choosing the correct make up of an antibody will no doubt have an effect on your experimental outcomes, therefore it is important to know the strengths of each option. Rabbit monoclonal antibodies are an ideal antibody to select in that you receive the robustness of a rabbit host immune system, coupled with the reliability of the monoclonal antibody generation techniques, to facilitate a superior product.
Apolipoprotein A‑I/ApoA1 was detected in immersion fixed paraffin-embedded sections of human liver cancer tissue using Rabbit Anti-Human Apolipoprotein A‑I/ApoA1 Monoclonal Antibody (Catalog # MAB36641) at 1 µg/mL for 1 hour at room temperature followed by incubation with the Anti-Rabbit IgG VisUCyte™ HRP Polymer Antibody (Catalog # VC003). Tissue was stained using DAB (brown) and counterstained with hematoxylin (blue). Specific staining was localized to cytoplasm in cancer cells. View our protocol for IHC Staining with VisUCyte HRP Polymer Detection Reagents.
Rabbit monoclonal antibodies are developed by fusing rabbit partner cells to rabbit B-cells to create Rabbit Hybridomas. The rabbit immune system is an excellent vehicle for antibody production and often yields antibodies with a higher affinity for their target. Furthermore, with the strength of the rabbit immune systems comes antibody diversity. For example, the rabbit immune system recognizes small epitopes that are not found in mice – this principle can be taken one step further by selecting a rabbit polyclonal antibody to further amplify low detection molecules. What’s more, the use of rabbit monoclonal antibodies is greatly desired for effective research on mouse models, which are very popular for neuroscience, cancer and cardiovascular research.
The advantages of a rabbit monoclonal antibody do not end in the production phase, but continue with their use in experimental applications. A more robust immune system during production means increased sensitivity of your antibody, and ultimately, less use of product when you are conducting your experiments. This is especially useful for hard to find targets or expensive products. The strength and stability of rabbit monoclonal antibodies makes for a carefree immunohistochemistry experiment. In addition, rabbit monoclonal antibodies are found to be applicable in more experimental methods than their counterparts. Novus Biologicals carries hundreds of Rabbit Monoclonal antibodies verified in a variety of experimental techniques, complete with reviews and publications.
