monoclonal antibody

American  

noun

Biotechnology.

1. antibody produced by a laboratory-grown cell clone, either of a hybridoma or a virus-transformed lymphocyte, that is more abundant and uniform than natural antibody and is able to bind specifically to a single site on almost any chosen antigen or reveal previously unknown antigen sites: used as an analytic tool in scientific research and medical diagnosis and potentially important in the treatment of certain diseases. MAb

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monoclonal antibody British  

/ ˌmɒnəʊˈkləʊnəl /

noun

1. an antibody, produced by a single clone of cells grown in culture, that is both pure and specific and is capable of proliferating indefinitely to produce unlimited quantities of identical antibodies: used in diagnosis, therapy, and biotechnology

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Etymology

Origin of monoclonal antibody

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

He was then started on monoclonal antibodies despite the fact that he didn’t need them.

From The Wall Street Journal

The researchers identified this immune evasion strategy for the first time and demonstrated that interfering with it using a monoclonal antibody can restore immune activity.

From Science Daily

While an estimated 50 million people worldwide are affected, current treatment options are limited and often provide only partial symptom relief or rely on costly therapies such as monoclonal antibodies.

From Science Daily

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara are exploring a new therapeutic direction that aims to reach and disrupt the uncontrolled expansion of these cysts by using carefully designed monoclonal antibodies -- lab-made proteins commonly used in immunotherapy.

From Science Daily

Infants were also able to get immunized starting that year through monoclonal antibodies, which aren’t technically vaccines but function similarly in this case.

From Los Angeles Times