Monoclonal Antibodies Flashcards
How are antibodies produced
By B-lymphocytes
Which is a type of white blood cell
What are monoclonal antibodies produced from
Lots of clones of a single white blood cell
What does it mean about monoclonal antibodies due to them being produced from a clone of a single white blood cell
They are all identical and will only have 1 specific protein antigen
Properties of a tumour cell
They can divide lots and grow really easily
Don’t produce antibodies
What’s a hybridoma
When a Mouses B-lymphocyte and a tumour cell fuse together
What can hybridoma cells do
Clone to get lots of identical cells which can produce all the same antibodies which can be collected and purified
Why are monoclonal antibodies made and why are they useful
To bind to anything you want and they will only bind to the target molecule
So you can use them to target a specific cell or chemical in the body
What are monoclonal antibodies used for
In pregnancy tests
To treat disease
Research to find specific substances
What is the HCG hormone
A hormone found in the urine of women only when they are pregnant
What do pregnancy test sticks do
Detect the HCG hormone in the females wee
What’s on the part of the pregnancy stick that you wee on
Some antibodies to the hormone with blue beads attached to them
What does the test strip have on it
Some more antibodies to the hormones stuck onto it so they won’t move
What happens if you pregnant and wee on the stick
The hormone will bind to the antibodies with blue beads
The urine will move up the stick carrying the hormones and beads
The beads and the hormones will bind to the antibodies on the test strip
The blue beads will stick to the strip turning it blue
What happens to the test if your not pregnant
The urine will move up the stick carrying the blue beads but nothing will stick the blue beads to the test strip so it won’t go bliue
What are tumour markers
The antigens cancer cells have on their cell membranes which aren’t found on normal body cells
