15.7 Urine and diagnosis

Question 1

what do high amounts of glucose in the urine suggest

Answer 1

type 1/type 2 diabetes

Question 2

what do high amounts of cretanine in the urine suggest

Answer 2

muscle damage

Question 3

what are monoclonal antibodies

Answer 3

antibodies from a single clone of cells that are produced to target particular cells or chemicals in the body

Question 4

how are monoclonal antibodies made

Answer 4

• mouse is injected with hCG
• B-cells that make the needed antibody are removed from the mouse
• fused with a myeloma (cancer cell type) = hybridoma
• hybridoma reproduces rapidly

Question 5

describe the main stages of a pregnancy test

Answer 5

1. wick soaked in urine passed in the morning
2. mobile monoclonal antibodies only bind to hCG to form a hCG/antibody complex with a coloured bead
3. urine carries moving up the stick
4. line of immobilised monoclonal antibodies that bind to the complex and release the colour
5. another line of immobilised monoclonal antibodies that bind to mobile antibodies and form a line to indicate the test works
6. 2 lines = positive test

Question 6

why is it better to use urine passed in the morning for a pregnancy test

Answer 6

will contain the highest levels of hCG

Question 7

what are anabolic steroids

Answer 7

drugs that mimic the action of testosterone and stimulate the growth of muscle

Question 8

how can urine show presence of anabolic steroids

Answer 8

• they are excreted in the urine
• test using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry
• urine is vaporised with known solvent and passed along a tube
• tube lining absorbs gases and gives a chromatogram

Question 9

how can urine show presence of drugs

Answer 9

• sample tested by an immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies to bind to drug or its breakdown product
• if positive, second sample run through gas chromatograph/ mass spectrometer