Use of IgY antibodies in human and veterinary medicine

Abstract

IgY technology, including the production and use of polyclonal IgY antibody (Ab), is a highly innovative and an expanding branch of biotechnology. In this chapter, we will discuss the advantages in the use of IgY Ab and the application of IgY in human and veterinary medicine (see also Kovacs-Nolan and Mine 2004). Other aspects such as immunization procedures, Ab titer development, IgY heat and acid stability and preservation of IgY solutions are reviewed in detail in Chacana et al. (2004), Hau and Hendriksen (2005), Leenars et al. (1999), Schade et al. (2000), and Schade et al. (2005). The usefulness of IgY Abs in biomedical diagnostic is well documented by an increasing quantity of literature and is therefore not included in this review. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.