Term: monoclonal antibodies (MAbs)
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M04010

Definition:
A single species of immunoglobulin molecules produced by culturing a single clone of a hybridoma cell. MAbs recognize only one chemical structure, i.e. they are directed against a single epitope of the antigenic substance used to raise the antibody.

Related Terms:
1) immunoglobulin (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I02982).
2) clone (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01103).
3) hybridoma (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02875).
4) epitope (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02171).
5) antibody (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00384).

Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 161 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143)

Citation: 'monoclonal antibodies (MAbs)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M04010

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.