Expression of Chimeric Immunoglobulin Genes in Mammalian Cells

The ability to make monoclonal rodent antibodies has revolutionized immunology. To reduce the immunogenicity of these antibodies for human in vivo use, methods have been developed to create artificial recombinant antibodies (1 ). Chimeric recombinant antibodies containing mouse variable domains and human constant domains are characterized by essentially the same antigen-binding properties as the mouse antibodies from hybridomas. The immunogenicity of the chimeric antibodies is lower owing to replacement of mouse constant domains for human ones. Various humanized, reshaped, and other antibody constructs have been created in different laboratories (1 ).