monospecific antibody

Monospecific antibodies are antibodies whose specificity to antigens is singular (mono- + specific) in any of several ways: antibodies that all have affinity for the same antigen; antibodies that are specific to one antigen or one epitope; or antibodies specific to one type of cell or tissue. Monoclonal antibodies are monospecific, but monospecific antibodies may also be produced by other means than producing them from a common germ cell. Regarding antibodies, monospecific and monovalent overlap in meaning; both can indicate specificity to one antigen, one epitope, or one cell type (including one microorganism species). However, antibodies that are monospecific to a certain tissue, or all monospecific to the same tissue because clones, can be polyvalent in their epitope binding.