The immune system, also known as the body's defence system,  is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that protects the body from antigens. It produces antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, in response to antigens such as viruses or bacteria. These antibodies are produced by B cells or plasma cells to fight the antigen. When an antigen enters the body, B cells produce different antibodies that fight the antigen by binding to it, preventing the infection. There are several types of antibodies produced by B cells, including IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, and IgE. Among them, there are Polyclonal antibodies. This guide will walk you through what pAbs are, their production, applications, overall role in research, and what you should know before you purchase polyclonal antibodies.

What are Polyclonal Antibodies (pAbs)?

The word Poly means many cells, and Clonal means single origin. These are heterogeneous antibodies, referring to a mixture of immunoglobulin molecules. pAbs are produced by immunizing animals such as rabbits, horses, mice, humans, and rats with a specific antigen. When B cells recognize any antigen in the body, they become active. B cells then produce multiple antibodies and form a clone, which binds to the different epitopes of the same antigen to remove it from the body.