Monoclonal Antibodies Flashcards
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Antibodies produced from a single clone of cells
What is the first step of producing monoclonal antibodies?
- Mice are injected -> stimulate production of lymphocytes to make antibodies
Lymphocytes make antibodies but cannot divide to make clones
What is the second step of producing monoclonal antibodies?
Tumour cells are cultured.
They can divide to form clones.
What is the third step of producing monoclonal antibodies?
Lymphocytes are fused with the tumours cells to create hybridoma cells
What is special about these hybridoma cells?
They can divide to make a large number of clones as well as produce antibodies.
What is the fourth step of producing monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies produced, collected, purified for use.
What can monoclonal antibodies be used for?
Research, treatment, diagnostic testing
How can specific molecules be found using monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies used to bind them to a fluorescent dye
How can monoclonal antibodies be used for treatment?
Can deliver toxic chemicals and drugs -> harm harmful cells. (e.g to cancer cells)
What is the hormone produced by pregnant women?
HCG
What can monoclonal antibodies be used to measure?
- The levels of a particular chemical in the blood
- Pathogens
How can monoclonal antibodies be used to detect HCG?
Used to detect HCG in a pregnant woman’s urine
Describe how monoclonal antibodies can be used to detect HCG levels in a pregnant woman’s urine.
- Urine applied to stick
- Stick contains monoclonal antibodies specific to HCG, attached to a dye
- If HCG present, monoclonal antibodies cause line of dye to appear.
- A second line appears in control zone - shows test is valid, even if result is negative.
Why are monoclonal antibodies not widely used?
They produce many side effects
How do bacteria multiply?
Binary fission
Under the optimum temperature and nutrient levels, how fast can bacteria divide?
Double every 20 mins
What 2 ways can bacteria be grown?
- In nutrient broth (solution)
- As colonies in agar gel plate
What is important for growing uncontaminated cultures of bacteria?
Aseptic technique
What 3 steps should be done before culturing?
- Sterilise culture media, agar plate
- Disinfect table
- Pass inoculating loop through blue Bunsen flame, allow to cool slightly
Name the steps of culturing microorganisms.
- Sterilisation
- Dip inoculating loop into culture
- Inoculate agar plate by streaming inoculating loop across surface
- Tape lid shut, place in incubator
- Sterilisation
What is good aseptic technique for the incubation of agar plates during culturing?
- Do not create airtight seal
- Do not incubate above 25°C
- Incubate plates with agar surface downward
What is the optimum temperature of pathogen growth?
37°C
What should be done during sterilisation during culturing of microbes?
- Inoculating loop passed through blue Bunsen flame, left to cool
- Bench disinfected
