Monoclonal antibodies

Question 1

what are b-lymphocytes?

Answer 1

white blood cells that produce an antibody
each b-lymphocytes makes one type of antibody which can only bind to one type of antigen

Question 2

what are antibodies made from?

Answer 2

proteins

Question 3

what are monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 3

antibodies produced from a single group (clone) of white blood cells (lymphocytes)

Question 4

how are monoclonal made?

Answer 4

an amimal usually a mouse is injected with tumour cells
the mouse’s immune system begins to make b-lymphocytes that produce antibodies antibodies specific to the antigen
the b-lymphocytes are collected from the mouse’s spleen
these b-lymphocytes are fused with tumour to make a hybridoma
the hybridoma clones through mitosis making thousands of identical copies which produce the same antibody
the antibodies are collected and purified and can be used to diagnose and treat illnesses

Question 5

why are hybridoma cells so good?

Answer 5

they can rapidly divide like tumour cells but are also able to produce antibodies like white blood cells

Question 6

what are some uses of monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 6

for diagnosis in pregnancy tests
to detect performance enhancing drugs in sport
detect or treat such as cancer
delivering drugs to certain parts of the body

Question 7

give some advantages and disadvantges of monoclonal antibodies

Answer 7

advantages:
they can be renewably generated once a suitable hybridoma has been developed
in cancer treatments theirside effects are generally less (especially compared to chemo or radiotherapy)

disadvantages:
they cause more side effects than originally thought (fever, vomiting and low blood pressure)
they use mice in their production (ethical issues)