The benefits of rabbit monoclonal antibodies

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies offer significant advantages over mouse monoclonal antibodies, particularly in their unique ability to recognise epitopes on human antigens that are often non-immunogenic in mice due to difference in immune system diversity. First developed and optimised in the 1990s, rabbit monoclonal antibodies are distinguished by their exceptionally high affinity, specificity, and ability to target a wider range of epitopes. These qualities make them effective for a wide range of research applications.

St John’s Laboratory provides a comprehensive portfolio of over 7,600 rabbit monoclonal antibodies validated across a spectrum of applications, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), ELISA, Western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence (IF). Our antibodies support research in oncology, signal transduction, post-translational modifications (PTMs) and other diverse research areas.

Key benefits of the rabbit monoclonal antibody design:

• Broader epitope recognition: Rabbits generate a more diverse antibody repertoire compared to mice. Through somatic gene conversion and hypermutation, they recognise a wider variety of epitopes — even those poorly immunogenic in rodents. They also exhibit reduced immunodominance, resulting in antibody generation against multiple, non-dominant regions of an antigen.


• High sensitivity to human protein targets: Studies consistently demonstrate that rabbit monoclonal antibodies exhibit higher sensitivity to certain human antigens, owing to their higher affinity and broader epitope recognition. This makes them ideal for detecting low-abundance targets or working with limited, precious tissue samples.


• Higher antibody titres: Rabbits can produce high-affinity antibodies with robust titres. This increases the chances of finding the perfect antibody for cloning and production.


• Compatible with mouse samples: The rabbit monoclonal format reduces the risk of cross-reactivity with endogenous mouse antigens, often resulting in lower background signals in mouse tissue models.


• Excellent signal-to-noise ratio: Characterised by inherently low background noise and high binding affinity, rabbit monoclonals deliver a superior signal-to-noise ratio, making them particularly well-suited for sensitive applications like immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Learn more

Applications of rabbit monoclonal antibodies

Stemming from the unique properties of the rabbit immune system, rabbit monoclonal antibodies deliver several advantages for research applications.

Detecting post-translational modifications (PTMs)

Post-translational modifications occur after translation from mRNA and significantly impact a protein's structure, stability, location, and its interactions with other molecules, ultimately impacting its functionality.

Rabbit monoclonals are highly effective in recognising small epitopes, making them key reagents for detecting specific PTMs – such as specific phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation, and sumoylation sites.

Histone acetylation detection

• Acetyl histone h3 antibody (Anti-Acetyl-Histone H3-K56 antibody [S4732RM] (STJ11104732)

Histone H3, one of the five main histones that contribute to chromatin structure in eukaryotes, plays a crucial role in gene regulation. Post-translational modification (PTM) through acetylation at lysine 56 (H3K56Ac) signals the synthesis of new histones, and this process is highly regulated during the cell cycle.

A valuable tool for studying chromatin biology and cell cycle research is anti acetyl histone h3 antibody (K56) [S4732RM] (STJ11104732). This antibody enables researchers to monitor replication-coupled histone deposition, evaluate the function of histone chaperones, and assess DNA damage response.

Detecting phosphorylation EGFR protein expression status

Elevated levels of phosphorylated forms of the transmembrane protein EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) have been observed in several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer. Sustained phosphorylation, particularly at tyrosine 1068 (pTyr1068), along with other phosphorylation sites, is associated with increased receptor activation and enhanced downstream signalling. This activation is linked to aggressive tumour characteristics and poorer clinical outcomes.

Anti-Phospho-EGFR-Y1068 antibody [S0MR] (STJ11102550) allows the detection of active EGFR signalling through a specific phosphorylation site, offering insights into receptor activation patterns, tumour biology, and potential therapeutic responses.

SUMOylation

The PTM modification SUMOylation has become increasingly recognised for its ability to regulate protein stability, cellular localisation and protein-protein interactions affecting multiple processes from transcription to DNA repair.

SUMOylation is a PTM involving the covalent attachment of small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMO) proteins to the lysine residue of target proteins via SUMO E3 ligases.

• St John’s rabbit monoclonal antibodies target SUMO E3 ligases, which are dysregulated or upregulated in disease contexts, such as PIAS1 and PIAS2.

  St John’s rabbit monoclonal antibodies detect:

  PIAS1 Anti-Recombinant-PIAS1 antibody [RM1F78] (STJA0023171)

  PIAS2 Anti-PIAS2 antibody (50-150) [S1MR] (STJ11102291)

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for IHC (Immunohistochemistry) applications

Rabbit monoclonals offer distinct advantages in IHC:

• Increased sensitivity with no loss of specificity.


• Permit higher working dilutions, making them more cost-effective for routine use.


• Compatible with various tissue fixations, including formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, with minimal pre-treatment.


• Allow for dual staining with mouse monoclonals on the same tissue sample.

Assessing HER2 expression

Understanding HER2 (Erbb2) through immunohistochemistry (IHC) is critical for deciphering cancer biology and characterising tumour models, offering insights into disease progression. This analytical approach allows researchers to precisely characterise tumour subtypes, explore the intricate signalling pathways driven by HER2 overexpression, and identify novel biomarkers.

Anti HER2 antibody

The anti HER2 antibody (anti-ERBB2 antibody) (ECD) [ZR5] (STJ180123) . This is a valuable tool for research due to its precise targeting of the HER2/ErbB2 protein's extracellular domain. Its utility in immunohistochemistry (IHC) enables detailed spatial and quantitative analysis in tissue samples, enhancing the understanding of tumour progression and advancing the understanding of signal transduction.

Human breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma exhibits strong membrane staining (3+) of carcinoma cells. Staining: anti her-2/neu antibody using a peroxidase-conjugate and DAB chromogen.

IHC using Ki67 antibody

KI67 is an important nuclear protein, associated with cellular proliferation and ribosomal RNA transcription. Ki67 serves as an important marker for cell proliferation and is essential in evaluating cellular activity in different pathological tissues. By identifying cells actively progressing through the cell cycle, researchers can gain crucial insights into underlying biological mechanisms, evaluate the efficacy of experimental interventions in preclinical models, and further characterise tumour heterogeneity, thereby advancing the understanding of various diseases at a molecular and cellular level.

Anti Ki67

The Ki-67 antibody [ZR433] (STJ180649) is a valuable tool for immunohistochemistry (IHC) research applications. The Ki 67 antibody clone excels at accurately detecting and quantifying the Ki-67 proliferation marker in tissue samples. With its strong specificity and sensitivity for IHC, it serves as an excellent reagent for exploring cellular proliferation dynamics, understanding disease mechanisms in various research settings.

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for IHC

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for flow cytometry

Unlock the potential of single-cell analysis for your immunology research with our extensive range of flow cytometry antibodies. Designed for precision and reliability, our antibodies are available with various conjugation types, including popular fluorophores like FITC, PE, APC, and their tandem dye variations, ensuring flexibility for your multi-colour panel designs.

Selection of commonly targeted immune cell markers and their associated antibodies for flow cytometry:

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for flow cytometry

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for Western blot applications

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for ELISA

Rabbit monoclonal antibodies for immunofluorescence staining

Discover the difference: St John’s Monoclonal Rabbit Antibodies?

Advance your research with St John’s Laboratory highly sensitive, epitope-diverse, and fully validated rabbit monoclonal antibodies tailored for your research needs. Designed to meet your specific research needs, whether you're investigating post-translational modifications, tumuor biology, or protein-protein interactions, our antibodies deliver.

• Unmatched sensitivity and specificity
• Broad application coverage, across Western Blot (WB), ELISA, IHC, ICC/IF, IP, Flow Cytometry
• Reduced background and cross-reactivity
• Proven performance in complex biological systems

Explore our full range of 7,600+ rabbit monoclonal antibodies today to find the perfect antibody candidate for your IHC, PTM, cancer biology, and molecular signalling research!