Monoclonal antibodies

Question 1

what are antibodies?

Answer 1

proteins produced by a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes

Question 2

what are antigens?

Answer 2

proteins on the surface of pathogens

Question 3

what do lymphocytes do?

Answer 3

recognise the antigens as foreign and attack them by producing antibodies

Question 4

do antibodies bind to specific or any type of antigens on pathogens?

Answer 4

specific, only one type of antibody will bind to a matching antigen

Question 5

what happens first in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 5

an antigen is injected into a mouse

Question 6

what happens second in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 6

The mouse’s spleen cells naturally produce lymphocytes, which produce antibodies specific to the antigen

Question 7

what happens third in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 7

spleen cells are removed from mouse’s spleen

Question 8

what happens fourth in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 8

The mouse’s spleen cells are fused with human cancerous white blood cells called myeloma cells to form hybridoma cells which divide indefinitely

Question 9

what happens fifth in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 9

These hybridoma cells divide and those that produce millions of monoclonal antibodies specific to the original antigen are separated

Question 10

what happens sixth in the formation of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 10

the antibodies are collected

Question 11

what can monoclonal antibodies be used for? (name 5 things)

Answer 11

helping people who are unwell, drug testing, treating cancer, stopping cancerous cell growth and pregnancy tests

Question 12

how do they help people who are unwell?

Answer 12

monoclonal antibodies can b injected into people if unable to create enough of their own antibodies

Question 13

how are they used in drug testing?

Answer 13

fluorescent dye is attached to antibodies (only shows IF the antibodies bind to drug antigen). antibodies mixed w/ sample from athlete - if drug is present fluorescent dye will show.

Question 14

how are they used in cancer treatment?

Answer 14

monoclonal antibodies injected into patients bind to cancer cells + cause phagocytes to come and engulf cancer cell

Question 15

how are they used to stop the growth of cancer cells?

Answer 15

monoclonal antibodies injected into patients bind to cancer cells + block substances needed for cell growth from entering cell which = cell death

Question 16

how are they used in pregnancy tests?

Answer 16

when someone’s taking a pregnancy test, monoclonal antibodies in pregnancy test sticks bind to HCG, a hormone found in pregnant person’s urine. This will cause a change in colour or pattern which will indicate pregnancy on the pregnancy test.

Question 17

what else can flourescent dye be used for?

Answer 17

to identify disease