The Products and Services Offered By Biotechnology Firms

By Armand Zeiders


Both medical and agricultural research has done much to help humanity, and scientists are always seeking to continue making improvements in these areas. In order to learn more about a disease and develop treatments that might be able to combat these disorders, scientific researchers need help from biotechnology businesses that specialize in providing services and products especially for medical research.

One service that some biotech firms provide is the creation of monoclonal antibodies, which can be very helpful. Not only do these antibodies help type and classify various pathogens, they also provide a way for scientists to do an in-depth study of a pathogen's structure. Monoclonal antibodies also are used to create treatments for infectious viruses and other types of diseases. Unlike polyclonal antibodies, a monoclonal antibody creates one single type of antibody which can be cloned many times. They are a good idea when you need a large amount of antibody or need a consistent antibody source for a long period of time.

A research lab might prefer to hire a biotech company to provide custom polyclonal antibody services. The polyclonal antibodies are often used for immunoprecipitation, which basically is a process where a specific protein needs to be isolated. Typically, polyclonal antibody services are less expensive than monoclonal antibody services, but monoclonal antibodies are sometimes preferred depending on what the medical researchers are trying to accomplish.

There are different types of polyclonal antibodies to request from a biotech company. You might want polyclonal antibodies developed against a synthetic peptide or antibodies against recombinant protein. The lab might also create an antigen or recombinant protein for you, or you might want provide them with this material. With the monoclonal antibodies, mother clones are created. From each of these mother clones, single clones are produced.

The creation of oligonucleotides is another process often farmed out to a biotech company. Oligonucleotides are short chains of either RNA or DNA molecules. These can be used to screen for certain diseases and viruses. They also are used for both genetic testing and forensic sciences. You can have unmodified DNA oligos created, modified DNA oligos, RNA oligos or plate oligos, depending on your specific needs.

Because the services these laboratories provide are used for crucial medical studies, quality control is hugely important. Each part of the process is monitored to ensure that the products are manufactured perfectly and consistently.




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