RE: why are anti-human mAb concentrations omitted?

Dear Colleagues:
It seems this has ignited another fire....I think that 
one way to drive this might be if we put together a 
few key questions on a short survey. If enough of 
you answer the survey, then it can be a powerful 
tool to drive change. We will come up with 
something soon.
regards
paul


On 9 Nov 2004 at 9:40, Lanham, David wrote:

> Hi folks
> 
> Just to add my 2 cents.  This is something of a bug-bear with many users
> judging from previous posts.	I have seen the almost annual plea from the
> likes of Profs. Roederer and Robinson to check reagent concentrations and
> titrate-titrate-titrate before use!  So when major suppliers take the 'X
> microlitres/test' approach and then either don't release the data, or take
> days to find the real concentration we are left feeling that the
> manufacturers could do with a simple lesson in basic science and perhaps
> customer care.
> 
> If we all start suggesting they print the information of the label or
> datasheet perhaps they will get the message.	The less charitable side of me
> thinks it is an excuse to employ technical support staff.  Of course I have had
> the situation with one of the biggest manufacturers where their technical
> support actually gave me incorrect information when reading the internal
> database and I wasted >£800 of reagents, it took some fairly strong threats to
> even get a credit note!
> 
> Maybe the big players who read this site should take note that the hard
> working scientists & clinicians pay for a solution NOT more problems!
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Dave
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Uriel TK [mailto:utk1@013.net]
> Sent: 05 November 2004 21:43
> To: cyto-inbox
> Subject: Re: why are anti-human mAb concentrations omitted?
> 
> 
> Calman:
> We had a similar problem with Serotec two weeks ago - they wouldn't say how much
> Ab there is in their DR and CD86 PE, although they did say how much there is in
> their FITC ones. Our local representative managed to get higher up, and it turns
> out (at least that's what we were told) that they simply don't check the
> concentration after conjugation, only before (?!). So their best answer was
> "around 0.1 mg/mL", stating 10 micro-L per test =~ 1 micro-g/test. This was
> after politely implying that we wouldn't be able to buy any more from them if we
> cannot know how much Ab we are buying. Maybe miltenyi would show a similar
> change of attitude when faced with a similar proposition. Coincidentaly, when
> titrated (asumming 0.1 mg/mL, using only 0.2 x10^6 mature DCs) both Abs were
> very very far from saturation as high as 3 micro-g/mL, they were actually quite
> linear up to that point. I dare not conclude that it is nefarious, but certainly
> fishy.
> 
> Greetings,
> Uriel.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Prussin, Calman (NIH/NIAID)" <CPRUSSIN@niaid.nih.gov>
> To: cyto-inbox
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 10:06 PM
> Subject: why are anti-human mAb concentrations omitted?
> 
> 
> > We recently purchased anti-CRTH2 PE  from Miltenyi Biotec (cat#
> > 130-091-238,
> > clone BM16, rat IgG2a). As has become the custom for many human reagents, no
> > mAb concentration is given, just the number of tests. Miltenyi does not sell
> > an isotype control, so I bought a rat IgG2a PE control from a different
> > company and then called Miltenyi to get the mAb concentration, which I could
> > then match for my isotype control. The very personable Miltenyi technical
> > service person politely told me that this information is not given out,
> > period.
> >
> > Any suggestions on how to get this information or any other work-arounds? This
> > is the first instance when I have called a company and this information has
> > not been freely given. After paying $375 I find it objectionable that Miltenyi
> > is not more forthcoming with the mAb concentration.
> >
> > I would also like to invite Miltenyi, or any company representative for
> > that
> > matter, to post the reason/justification for not including mAb
> > concentration
> > in mass units on their vials or product data sheets. When this information is
> > omitted, I presuppose, possibly incorrectly, that the company's motivation is
> > nefarious.
> >
> > Please avoid a discussion of the merits of using isotype controls, as I am
> > fully aware of their limitations! Thanks.
> >
> >> _______________________
> >> Calman Prussin
> >> Laboratory of Allergic Diseases
> >> NIAID/ National Institutes of Health
> >>
> > The above posting does not reflect the views of the U.S. government.
> >
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> >
> 
> 
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J.Paul Robinson, PhD		 PH:(765)4940757
Professor of Immunopharmacology
Professor of Biomedical Engineering  
Purdue University	   FAX:(765)4940517
EMAIL:jpr@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu
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