[Histonet] RE: Monoclonal antibodies from different companies

[Morken, Timothy]

Teri, this is an excellent question. 

Short answer: the same antibody clone from different company's may produce different results. Usually it will be a dilution factor but could be specificity as well if not purified to the same level. There is no way to tell for sure without trying them both. 

The fact is that some companies make their antibodies and control the entire process. Others repackage antibodies they buy from other companies. Others sell a mix of their own and repackaged. Most likely they won't tell you which is which. Even the clone doesn't make much difference because the companies may each have licensed the same clone from the originator of that clone. Theoretically clones should be the same, but unless they come from the same facility they may not be. One company's production process will be slightly different than another's and so the antibody may produce slightly different results. This can be due to impurities, level of purification, dilution levels (yes they dilute the antibody, even in "concentrate" form!) buffers, etc. 


Tim Morken
Department of Pathology
UC San Francisco Medical Center





-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Teri Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 8:08 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Monoclonal antibodies from different companies

Dear Histonetters,

If you can get a monoclonal antibody from different sources, the same clone, the same Ig concentration, is it the same? In other words, we are using clone #XX#X from Company A. Someone else has had success using clone #XX#X from Company B.

Is there any benefit to buying the antibody from Company B to try, or would it be a duplication of effort and cost?

Thanks for your input!

Teri Johnson, HT(ASCP)QIHC
GNF Histology Lab Manager
Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation
858-332-4752

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