The role of monoclonal antibodies and the recombinant DNA technology in studying autoantibody production.

The hybridoma technology has made it possible to sample the B-cell repertoire and to generate monoclonal antibodies which can be analyzed for their specificity and idiotypy. Using the recombinant DNA technology, the structure of the genes which encode those antibodies can be analyzed. The knowledge gained from the application of these techniques has made it possible to pose specific questions about the origins of autoantibodies.