What is the difference between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies are identical. They recognise only one specific epitope and have a defined specificity for the antigen. Polyclonal antibodies recognise independent epitopes on the antigen. Monoclonal antibodies give reproducible results as the hybridoma parent line or final clone can be stored and recloned at a later stage to produce more monoclonal antibodies.
