Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Polyclonal antiserum is a serum that contains multiple antibodies produced by different B cell clones in response to an antigen. It is used to detect and quantify various antigens in immunological assays.
Polyclonal antiserum contains a mixture of antibodies targeting different epitopes on the same antigen.
It is typically produced by immunizing an animal with an antigen and then collecting the serum after the immune response has developed.
Polyclonal antisera are often used in diagnostic assays such as ELISA, Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation.
The diversity of antibodies in polyclonal antiserum can provide higher sensitivity but may also result in higher background noise compared to monoclonal antibodies.
Production of polyclonal antiserum can be affected by factors such as the animal species, adjuvant used, and immunization protocol.
Related terms
Monoclonal Antibody: An antibody produced by a single clone of B cells that targets a specific epitope on an antigen.
ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay): A plate-based assay technique designed for detecting and quantifying substances such as peptides, proteins, antibodies, and hormones.