What are monoclonal antibodies?

All the same: Antibodies are complex protein molecules made by the immune system. The have a variable portion that can be made specific to a target. "monoclonal" refers to antibodies whose variable regions are all the same. When directed at specific biological targets, e.g. Inflammatory mediators, they can be used as drugs ("biologics") to modify diseases.

Specific antibodies: Monoclonal antibodies are monospecific antibodies that are the same because they are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell, in contrast to polyclonal antibodies which are made from several different immune cells. Monoclonal antibodies have monovalent affinity, in that they bind to the same epitope.

Abs from one cell.: Monoclonal antibodies are those that are produced by the identical immune cells that are descended from the same parent cell. They produce anitibodies that bind to only one epitope or site on an antigen. This means that they are monospecific. This makes them useful in things like research because they can isolate a strain purely and completely.