Abstract
Immunoglobulins (Ig) or antibodies are powerful molecular recognition tools that can be used to identify minute quantities of a given target analyte. Their antigen-binding properties define both the sensitivity and selectivity of an immunoassay. Understanding the biochemical properties of this class of protein will provide users with the knowledge necessary to select the appropriate antibody composition to maximize immunoassay results. Here we define the general biochemical properties of antibodies and their similarities and differences, explain how these properties influence their functional relationship to an antigen target, and describe a method for the enzymatic fragmentation of antibodies into smaller functional parts.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Elgert KD (1998) Antibody structure and function. In: Elgert KD (ed) Immunology: understanding the immune system. Wiley, New York, pp 58–78
Janeway CA Jr, Travers P, Walport M et al (2001) Immunobiology: the immune system in health and disease, 5th edn. Garland Science, New York
Male D, Brostoff J, Roth D, Roitt I (2012) Immunology, 8th edn. Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA
Harris LJ, Skaetsky E, McPherson A (1998) Crystallographic structure of an intact IgG1 monoclonal antibody. J Mol Biol 275:861–872
Davies DR, Chacko S (1993) Antibody structure. Acc Chem Res 26:421–427
Honjo T (1983) Immunoglobulin genes. Annu Rev Immunol 1:499–528
Blomberg B, Traunecker A, Eisen H, Tonegawa S (1981) Organization of four mouse lambda light chain immunoglobulin genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 78:3765–3769
Greenfield EA (2013) Antibodies: a laboratory manual, 2nd edn. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Woodbury, NY
Schroeder HW Jr, Cavacini L (2010) Structure and function of immunoglobulins. J Allergy Clin Immunol 125:S41–S52
Wang W, Singh S, Zeng DL et al (2007) Antibody structure, instability, and formulation. J Pharm Sci 96:1–26
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Hnasko, R.M. (2015). The Biochemical Properties of Antibodies and Their Fragments. In: Hnasko, R. (eds) ELISA. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1318. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2742-5_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2742-5_1
Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2741-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2742-5
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols