Monoclonal Antibodies

Question 1

What is a monoclonal antibody?

Answer 1

• a single type of antibody that can be isolated and cloned

Question 2

What is an antibody?

Answer 2

• proteins with binding sites complementary to certain antigens

Question 3

What are monoclonal antibodies used for?

Answer 3

• medical treatment
• medical diagnoses (ELISA test)

Question 4

How are monoclonal antibodies used in targeted medication?antibodies are used in targeted medication?

Answer 4

• direct monoclonal antibody therapy
• indirect monoclonal antibody therapy

Question 5

How is direct monoclonal antibody therapy used in targeted medication?

Answer 5

• antibodies are designed with binding sites complementary to antigens on the surface of cancer cells
• antibodies given to a patient will attach to cancer cells
• the bound antibodies prevent chemicals from binding with the cancer cells to enable uncontrollable cell division; prevent cancer from growing
• monoclonal antibodies only attach to cancer cells, not harmful to normal cells

Question 6

How is indirect monoclonal antibody therapy used in targeted medication?

Answer 6

• antibodies are designed with binding sites complementary to antigens on the surface of cancer cells, have a drug attached to them
• the cancer drugs are delivered directly to the cancer cells + kill them
• this reduces harmful side effects traditional chemotherapy can produce

Question 7

How are monoclonal antibodies used in medical diognoses?

Answer 7

• pregnancy tests
• chlamydia tests
• COVID tests
• ELISA test

Question 8

What does ELISA stand for?

Answer 8

enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay

Question 9

How many antibodies does the ELISA test use and how?

Answer 9

A - first mobile antibody: complementary to the antigen being tested for, has coloured dye attached
B - second antibody: complementary to the antigen, immobilised during the test
C - third antibody - immobilised and is complementary to the first antibody

Question 10

Describe the ELISA test.

Answer 10

1. Add test sample to the base of a beaker
2. Wash to remove any unbound test sample
3. Add complementary antibody (to antigen being tested for)
4. Wash to remove excess unbound antibody
5. Add a second antibody (complementary to the first so it can bind) with an enzyme attached to it. Rinse unbound antibodies off
6. Add colourless substrate for the enzyme - produces coloured product in the presence of an enzyme
7. Presence of colour suggests a presence of the antigen in the test sample. Intensity of the colour indicates the quantity present

Question 11

What are the ethical issues surrounding monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 11

• creation of monoclonal antibodies requires mice to produce antibodies/ tumour cells
• is the use of animals justified to enable the better treatment of cancer in humans and to detect disease?