Antibody Fragment Production (CAT#: STEM-MB-0134-WXH)

Introduction

Antibodies are powerful tools for the detection and purification of proteins and molecules. Although whole antibodies (typically IgG or IgM) are suitable for most immunoassay applications, the performance of certain steps is enhanced by the use of antibody fragments such as Fab.
There are three main types of antibody fragments: antigen-binding fragment (Fab), single-chain variable fragment (scFv), and single-domain antibody (sdAb). All of these antibody fragments are smaller in size than whole antibodies. This allows them to bind to the cryptic epitope of the whole antibody. Smaller antibody sizes help reduce scatter, resulting in higher resolution images.
In terms of therapeutic applications, small molecular weight also means efficient penetration and rapid clearance. In addition, small-molecule antibodies can be expressed in large quantities in prokaryotic systems, ultimately producing proteins in sufficient quantities for diagnostics, therapeutics, and structural studies.