Monoclonal Antibodies Flashcards
What are monoclonal antibodies?
A monoclonal antibody is an antibody that is made in the lab to target a specific substance, like a virus or cancer cell. It is produced by identical immune cells, all coming from one original cell, meaning they are all the same. These antibodies can be used in medicine to treat diseases or in testing.
How are monoclonal antibodies produced?
The lymphoctye white blood cells of a rat are combined with tumour cells to produce a hybidoma cell that can produce antibodies. These antibodies are cloned identically from one single clone cell to attack the same target.
What are the uses of monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies can be used to target one specific thing- a specific antigen. They can be used in this way within pregnancy tests to find human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in urine. The antibody and antigen binds if the person is pregnant and produces a colour change. Monoclonal antibodies can also be used as detection antigens to find and bind to things such as pathogens, blood clots and cancer cells. They can carry (usually radioactive) markers so that we can find out where they are in the body.
How can a monoclonal antibody attack cancer cells with the immune system?
There are three ways to target cancer cells: direct use of monoclonal antibodies that bind to the cancer cells to trigger the immune system to kill the cancer. By using monoclonal antibodies to block receptors on the surface of cancer cells and so stop the cells growing and dividing. The third way is using monoclonal antibodies to carry toxic drugs or radioactive elements to cancer cells to damage them.
What are the advantages of monoclonal antibodies?
They are specific and only bind to the target antigen (eg cancer cell) and leave the other body cells unharmed. This way chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments may only affect the cancer and not the rest of the body. New development of monoclonal antibodies can show the effect of antibodies carrying markers and drugs with reduced side effects. Monoclonal antibodies can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions in addition to cancer.
What are the disadvantages of monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies initially had many side effects which discouraged doctors to use them. Producing the right monoclonal antibodies and attaching them to drugs have been very difficult to do.
