Antibodies In Medicine

Question 1

What are monoclonal antibodies

Answer 1

Antibodies with the same tertiary structure

Question 2

Why are monoclonal antibodies useful

Answer 2

They can be produced outside the body and are complementary to only one type of antigen

Question 3

What are 3 main uses of monoclonal antibodies

Answer 3

Cancer treatment
Pregnancy testing
Medical diagnosis using elisa test

Question 4

What is the direct use of monoclonal antibodies, what is a benefit

Answer 4

Monoclonal antibodies for cancer cell antigens produced
Given to patient and attach to cancer cell
Block chemical signals leading uncontrolled cell growth
— non toxic and highly specific

Question 5

What is an indirect use of monoclonal antibodies and what is the benefit

Answer 5

• links cytotoxic drug to monoclonal antibodies
• when antibody attaches to cancer cell it kills it
  Benefit: doctors can concentrate radiation at tumour sites, reducing the amount of radiation that reaches healthy tissue

Question 6

Describe how monoclonal antibodies are used in pregnancy tests when testing for hgc

Answer 6

• monoclonal antibodies comp to hgc protein are bound to coloured bead
• hgc in urine binds to antibodies
• urine moves up the strip carrying beads
• 1st set of immobilised antibodies bind to hgc and create the first blue line, the test line
• 2nd set of immobilised antibodies bind to antibody with coloured bead creating second blue line, the control line

Question 7

What is the elisa test proscess for disease

Answer 7

• antigens stuck to vessel
• blood sample added to test
• antibodies for hiv will bind to antigen
• other antibodies present will wash off
• complementary antibody with an enzyme added which binds to hiv antibodies
• excess secondary antibodies are washed off to avoid a false positive
• substrate to enzyme added
• if secondary antibodies are lest the enzyme will catalyse a reaction with the substrate and colour change will occur

Question 8

Elisa test for prostate cancer

Answer 8

• antibodies for prostrate cancer is added
• if antigens present they will bind to monoclonal antibodies
• if antigen present secondary antibodies will bind
• substrate added if enzyme present whole thing will change colour