What makes an antibody useful as a tool in the lab?

Antibodies have exceptional specificity and selectivity, which enables them to bind to a wide range of targets including proteins, serum, microorganisms and drugs. These attributes of antibodies are what make them useful tools in the lab for a wide range of applications in three main areas - research, diagnostics, and therapy. 

• Biomedical research: Researchers use antibodies to identify and study microscopic molecules and draw conclusions about target molecules and pathways of interest. Antibodies are also integral to several laboratory procedures including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), flow cytometry, western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) among others. 
• Diagnostics: Antibodies are vital components of a wide range of diagnostic techniques including but not limited to measuring hormones and other biological markers present in the blood, identifying allergies, and detecting infections. 
• Therapeutics: Antibodies are linked directly to drugs to produce therapeutic antibodies that trigger a biological response. For example, antibody-drug conjugates are produced with the potential to kill target cells such as cancerous cells without affecting normal cells.