ALTERNATIVES TO THE USE OF ANIMALS IN RESEARCH

ALTERNATIVES TO THE USE OF ASCITES MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY PRODUCTION: UCSF CELL CULTURE FACILITY

In order to eliminate the use of mice and to avoid pain, discomfort, or distress to animals from the production of monoclonal antibodies using mouse ascites, both OLAW and USDA encourage the use of alternative methods to produce monoclonal antibodies in vitro, without compromising the aims of the study.

Institutional Animal Care Use and Use Committees are now expected to critically evaluate all protocols which propose using the mouse ascites method, and only allow in vivo production on the basis of strong scientific justification.

UCSF has responded to this by setting up a core laboratory within the Cell Culture Facility to produce in vitro antibodies for UCSF investigators.

For specific information on how to obtain in vitro antibodies, please contact Sally Miramon, Technical Supervisor of the Cell Culture Facility at 476-8830.

Additional Information regarding antibody availability can be found on The Antibody Resource Page.