monoclonal antibodies

• What are monoclonal antibodies derived from?

  Antibodies from a single clone of cells
• What is the process of creating monoclonal antibodies?

  Cloning a cell to produce antibodies, which are then isolated
• Which type of white blood cells produce antibodies?

  B lymphocytes
• What do antibodies bind to in order to help fight disease?

  Foreign material called antigens
• What are antigens?

  Small molecules/proteins that are foreign to our body
• How do antibodies interact with bacteria?

  They bind to bacteria that have the same antigens
• What is a hybridoma?

  A cell formed by fusing B cells with fast-dividing tumor cells
• Why do we fuse B cells with tumor cells in monoclonal antibody production?

  To create cells that divide rapidly and produce antibodies
• What is the purpose of injecting an animal with an antigen in monoclonal antibody production?

  To stimulate the immune response and produce specific B lymphocytes
• What type of animal is commonly used to produce B lymphocytes for monoclonal antibodies?

  A mouse
• What is a key advantage of monoclonal antibodies?

  They always bind to one specific target
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used in cancer treatment?

  By attaching drugs or radioactive material to target cancer cells
• What happens to monoclonal antibodies once injected into a patient?

  They locate and bind to specific antigens on cancer cells
• What can be attached to monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic purposes?

  Drugs, fluorescent proteins, or radioactive substances
• What is the overall process of producing monoclonal antibodies?

  1. Inject an animal with the desired antigen.
  2. The animal's immune system produces specific B lymphocytes.
  3. Isolate the B lymphocytes.
  4. Fuse B lymphocytes with fast-dividing tumor cells to create hybridomas.
  5. Allow hybridomas to divide and produce identical antibodies.
  6. Collect and purify the monoclonal antibodies.
• What is the role of monoclonal antibodies in pregnancy tests?

  They detect the hormone hCG in urine.
• What hormone do pregnant women produce that is detected by pregnancy tests?

  hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)
• How do pregnancy tests indicate whether a woman is pregnant?

  By detecting hCG in the urine.
• What does the test strip in a pregnancy test contain?

  Monoclonal antibodies specific to hCG.
• What happens to the blue beads in the test strip when a woman is not pregnant?

  They flow over the fixed antibodies without binding.
• What occurs when a woman is pregnant and hCG is present in her urine?

  The hCG binds to the blue beads, causing them to stick to the fixed antibodies.
• What visual indication shows a positive pregnancy test result?

  The entire strip appears blue.
• Why do most pregnancy tests have two lines instead of one?

  The second line acts as a control for the test.
• What should users do before using a pregnancy test?

  Read the instructions carefully.
• What are the key components of a pregnancy test strip?

  • Fixed monoclonal antibodies specific to hCG
  • Free-moving blue beads covered in the same monoclonal antibodies
• How does the presence of hCG affect the movement of blue beads in a pregnancy test?

  • hCG binds to blue beads
  • Beads then bind to fixed antibodies
  • Resulting in a blue strip indicating a positive test
• Why are lymphocytes combined with tumour cells to produce hybridoma cells?

  lymphocytes would produce antibodies but die quickly

  tumour cells are immortal but dont produce antibodies

  together combined as a hybridoma cell its immortal and it produces antibodies
• What are the uses of monoclonal antibodies?

  Detection of pathogens, cancer treatment, pregnancy tests
• What do pregnancy kits test for?

  hCG in urine
• What does a pregnancy test consist of?

  A stick with monoclonal antibodies specific to hCG

  
• How are monoclonal antibodies attached in a pregnancy test?

  mAbs attached to a blue bead and fixed to the stick

  
• What happens to the test stick if a woman is pregnant?

  hCG binds to mAbs, forming a blue line

  
• What happens to the test stick if the pathogen is not present?

  No hCG means no blue line forms
• What is an advantage of using monoclonal antibodies to test for pathogens?

  They are specific to one particular antigen
• Why can monoclonal antibodies target cancer cells?

  Cancer cells have specific antigens called 'tumour markers'
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used to target drugs to cancer cells?

  mAbs bind to 'tumour markers' and deliver drugs

  
• How can monoclonal antibodies diagnose cancer?

  mAbs tagged to radioactive substances detect cancer

  
• Why are cancer treatments using monoclonal antibodies favored?

  They target only cancer cells, reducing side effects
• How can monoclonal antibodies locate blood clots?

  mAbs bind to proteins in blood clots and emit radiation
• What are the main uses of monoclonal antibodies?

  • Detection of pathogens
  • Location of cancer cells and blood clots
  • Treatment of cancer
  • Used in pregnancy test kits