Polyclonal Antibody Production

 

Polyclonal Antibody Production

Spring Valley Laboratories, Inc. has developed standard protocols for maximizing antibody production to protein and peptide immunogens. These protocols are designed to provide a basic approach that can be extended and enhanced by using the available options. In addition, we can perform custom protocols.

Spring Valley offers two standard protocols. The protein protocol is a short 52 day schedule that allows for the flexibility to concentrate resources on the animals showing the best titer. It can be lengthened until the desired quantity of antibody is obtained.

The standard peptide protocol lasts 73 days, and it too can be modified until the desired quantity of antibody is obtained. The protocols described below are priced as units and include animal purchase, daily care, immunogen emulsification, immunizations, blood collection, serum separation, and euthanasia.

Monthly protocol extension:

Monthly extensions include one immunogen boost on day 1 followed by a standard bleed on day 12 and day 27 yielding 40 ml of serum total. Click here for immunogen requirements and bleed volumes by species, PROTEIN / PEPTIDE.

Exsanguination:

When you are satisfied with the amount and titer of sera that you have obtained, you may terminate the project by exsanguination. This provides additional serum at the end of the protocol. Click here for bleed volumes by species, PROTEIN / PEPTIDE.

Species:

Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Rat, Mouse, Goat, and Sheep.

Shipping:

The pre-immunization serum and the first bleed serum are shipped after the first bleed. Shipping costs are added to the invoice.

Immunogen Preparation:

Spring Valley can accept immunogen for immunization in any form including, but not limited to, in solution, as a precipitate, as a cell suspension, as a band in acrylamide gel, or as blotted onto nitrocellulose. Click here to see the minimal amount of immunogen that we recommend for each species, PROTEIN / PEPTIDE

Immunization Options:

Screening pre-immunization sera for reactivity: You may select animals based on the individual background reactivity of their serum to your immunogen. Spring Valley offers ELISA to determine antibody response. Alternatively, sera can be sent to the investigator for evaluation.

Test bleed:

Small volumes of sera can be collected at time intervals specified by the researcher to evaluate antibody responses. Spring Valley offers services for ELISA and Western blot to determine antibody response. Alternatively, sera can be sent to the researcher for evaluation. These tests can be ordered on sera from test bleeds or standard bleeds.

Titer screen:

An ELISA is conducted and results FAXED within 5 days of the bleed date. This time-saving option requires an additional 10 µg of immunogen per animal.

Western blot:

Results are FAXED to you within 10 days of the bleed date. This time-saving option requires an additional 20 µg of immunogen.

Spring Valley Laboratories, Inc., P.O. Box 242, Woodbine, MD 21797. Tel: 410-795-2222; Fax: 410-795-2242.