| dc.description.abstract | The exposure of animal or even human populations in contact with natural and/ or anthropogenic impacts is becoming more and more frequent and significant. These environmentally harmful substances, such as mycotoxins, are able to accumulate in living organisms and then trigger a number of physiological and/ or behavioral effects. Because of their structure, mycotoxins even get into the nucleus, where they modificate different molecular pathways, also causing significant economic damage in the case of wildlife or domestic animals. The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA), today’s relevant estrogen-like, endocrine disrupting agent, can be deposited by consuming contaminated cereals and
feed. Similar to the identification of exposure sources, the detection and measurement of the accumulation of ZEA (and other similar mycotoxin agents) as soon as possible is (would be) in our common interest. One possibility of
measurement is an immunoassay that specifically recognizes the agent, and the use of immunoglobulins as binding agents in the assay. However, the development of binding agents (especially mammalian, monoclonal antibodies) can be an expensive, long-lasting and complex process. As an alternative solution, polyclonal poultry antibody (IgY), which can be easily, cheaply and quickly produced from eggs, is increasingly used for the above purpose. The study primarily collects IgY and immunoassay developments applicable to mycotoxin measurement; highlighting the related possibilities of ZEA detection, which is in the focus of our group. IgY is an effective perspective, but at the same time, it can also present developers with many challenges, of which the most important are also demonstrated by the authors through the example of ZEA. | en_US |
