Human antibodies produced in lab for first time
25th July, 2017Category:
In a first, researchers, led by Facundo Batista from the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, produced specific human antibodies in the laboratory by treating patient-derived B cells with tiny nanoparticles coated with both CpG oligonucleotides and an antigen. This technique could usher the rapid development of new vaccines to treat a wide range of infectious diseases.
Antibodies are produced by the body's B cells to fight off infections by bacteria, viruses, and other invasive pathogens. When an individual B cell recognises a specific pathogen-derived "antigen" molecule, it can proliferate and develop into plasma cells that secrete large amounts of antibody capable of binding to the antigen and fending off the infection.
Read More: