Phage display technology: clinical applications and recent innovations

Phage display is a molecular diversity technology that allows the presentation of large peptide and protein libraries on the surface of filamentous phage. Phage display libraries permit the selection of peptides and proteins, including antibodies, with high affinity and specificity for almost any target. A crucial advantage of this technology is the direct link that exists between the experimental phenotype and its encapsulated genotype, which allows the evolution of the selected binders into optimized molecules. Phage display facilitates engineering of antibodies with regard to their size, valency, affinity, and effector functions. The selection of antibodies and peptides from libraries displayed on the surface of filamentous phage has proven significant for routine isolation of peptides and antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This review serves as an introduction to phage display, antibody engineering, the development of phage-displayed peptides and antibody fragments into viable diagnostic reagents, and recent trends in display technology. (C) 2002 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. All rights reserved.