3. Antibodies in Medicine

Question 1

monoclonal antibodies

Answer 1

produced by b cells
specific
binding sites have unique tertiary structure

Question 2

e.g. targeting drugs to cancer cells

Answer 2

1. cancer cells have tumor markers
2. monoclonal antibodies specific to tumor marker
3. attach anti-cancer drug to antibody
4. antibodies only bind to tumor markers - accumulate where theres cancer cells
   SIDE EFFECTS LOWER

Question 3

e.g. targeting a substance for medical diagnosis - pregnancy testing

Answer 3

hormone hCG found in urine
1. application area - antibodies for hCG bound to blue coloured bead
2. any hCG in urine binds to antibody (antigen-antibody complex)
3. urine moves up stick to test strip carrying beads
4. test strip contains immobilised antibodies to hCG
5. hCG present test strip turns blue - immobilised antibody binds to hCG (which has blue beads attached)
no hCG beads pass through without binding - wont go blue

Question 4

ELISA

what does it test

Answer 4

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
if patient has any antibodies to a certain antigen or any antigen to a certain antibody
e.g. pathogenic infections, allergys

Question 5

using ELISA as HIV test

Answer 5

1. HIV antigen bound to well in plate
2. blood plasma added. HIV specific antibodies bind to HIV antigens. wash well to get rid of unbound antibodies
3. 2ndry antibody specific enzyme attached. added to well. can bind to HIV specific antibody. washed out remove any unbound antibody
4. solution added to well. contains substrate which is able to react with enzyme attached to 2ndry antibody -> coloured product
5. change in colour = HIV-specific antibodies in blood = infected