Monoclonal Antibodies Flashcards
What are antibodies made by and why are they made?
Made by B lymphocytes (type of WBC) in response to an invading pathogen.
What is a monoclonal antibody?
A single antibody made by B lymphocytes that can destroy a pathogen.
What is the problem with extracting B lymphocytes from a mouse for example?
They don’t survive for long outside the body and they don’t divide, unlike cancer cells that continuously divide.
What is a Hybridoma?
A hybrid cell, made by B lymphocytes and cancer cells being mixed together. During this process sometimes a Hybridoma is fused.
What is so good about the Hybridoma?
They can destroy the pathogen by producing antibodies, whilst continuously dividing due to it being fused with the cancer cell.
How can the cloning of these hybrid cells help to more accurately cure diseases?
As the hybrid cells start cloning each other therefore all making the same antibody. The production of these specific antibodies mean that the specific antibody will easily be able to find and fit into the specific chemical that it is matched to.
What is an example of something that uses monoclonal antibodies?
A pregnancy test, as it contains monoclonal antibodies that only fits the chemical a women produces when pregnant.
How are monoclonal antibodies able to cure the disease?
They are able to target and identify or neutralise unwanted substances e.g. a pathogen.
What are the positives of having an antibody that can identify, bind to and neutralise the pathogen?
You can stop potentially fatal pathogens, e.g. drug overdose. and improve chances of patients recovery.
