Designing Antibodies

Designing Antibodies provides a compilation of research in the design of antibodies. It describes the techniques used in antibody design, the kinds of antibodies generated through modern techniques, and their applications in medicine and science. The book begins with an overview of the humoral immune system and of antibody structure, function, and biosynthesis, which sets the stage for the subsequent discussions of developments in antibody technology. The remaining chapters discuss the making of monoclonal antibodies; the design of antibodies for human therapy; the connection of antibodies (either chemically or genetically) to other potentially therapeutic effector molecules such as toxins, enzymes, or even an antibody of another specificity; idiotypes and anti-idiotypic antibodies; and the ability of antibodies to functionally mimic enzymes and mediate catalysis. It is hoped that, in addition to illustrating the progress of research in antibody design, the various creative and innovative approaches reviewed in this book will be modified or will stimulate new ideas that will spur the research and application of designer antibodies.