Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation

6.4.1. Introduction

Hybridoma technology is a technique of forming hybrid cell lines called hybridomas by the fusion of normal cells with an immortalized cells. The normal cells are specific antibody producing lymphocyte B cells, while the immortalized cells are the myeloma cells of bone marrow. These hybridoma or fused hybrid cells have the antibody producing capability inherited from lymphocytes and have the ability to grow continuously like malignant cancer cells. The antibodies thus produced by the hybridomas are all of a single specificity and are called monoclonal antibodies. This technique was first discovered by Georges Kohler of West Germany, Cesal Milstein of Argentina and Niels Jerne of Denmark in the year 1975.