PARIS -- Short people are 50% likelier than tall people to die prematurely of heart disease, researchers reported Wednesday in a major review of three million people.

(Second of two parts)

Antibodies are excellent targeting molecules. As an important part of the immune system, they are able to bind strongly to foreign antigens introduced into the body. Since the introduction of the hybridoma technology by Köhler and Milstein in 1975 (Nature 256:495-496), large amounts of antibodies of one kind could be generated against virtually any foreign substance, whether it’s a peptide, nucleic acid, carbohydrate or some other molecule. Because of the high specificity and high binding affinity of antibodies, they are used in a wide variety of applications: as detectors of specific molecules for diagnostic purposes, as imaging tools while conjugated to colorimetric or fluorimetric probes, or as therapeutic agents while conjugated to cytotoxic drugs (see below), etc.