PRODUCTION OF HUMAN-ANTIBODY REPERTOIRES IN TRANSGENIC MICE

Transgenic mice have been created that carry human immunoglobulin heav y and light chain genes in germline configuration and that have the co rresponding endogenous genes silenced. The transgenes are either minig ene constructs or large, almost authentic, transloci on yeast artifici al chromosomes and undergo B-cell-specific DNA rearrangement and hyper mutation in the mouse lymphoid tissue. Monoclonal antibodies with good affinities for human antigens have been obtained after immunisation. These mice may be a future source of human antibodies for therapy.