Monoclonal antibodies

• What are monoclonal antibodies

  identical copies of one type of antibody
• What type of cells produce antibodies

  Lymphocytes + tumor
• Why can't lymphocytes + tumour cells alone be used to produce monoclonal antibodies

  • Lymphocytes can't divide quickly enough
  • Tumor cells can't produce antibodies
• What are tumor cells

  Cells that divide rapidly + uncontrollably
• What is a hybridoma cell

  A tumor cell + lymphocyte fused together
• How are monoclonal antibodies produced

  • EITHER immunisation of mouse to produce antibodies + tumor cells grown in a culture vessel
  • Antibodies forming cells isolated from spleen + fuse with cultivated tumor cells = hybridomas
  • Hybridomas are screened for antibody production + cloned
  • Hybridomas screened for antibody production
• What can monoclonal antibodies be used for

  • Produced to target a specific chemical or cell
  • Pregnancy tests
  • Identifying blood clots
  • Diagnosing cancer
  • Treating cancer
• What hormone is found in the urine of pregnant women

  HCG
• How do pregnancy tests work

  Work by identifying HCG
• Explain how monoclonal antibodies are used to identify pregnancy

  • HCG produced in pregnant woman
  • Urine applied to test stick
  • Antibodies (not fixed) bind to HCG + have enzymes to show dye
  • Enzymes + antibodies bind to other antibodies (these are fixed)
  • Control zone will always show up
• What are the 3 sites on the test sticks

  • Reaction site
  • Test site
  • Control site
• Explain how monoclonal antibodies can be used to identify where a blood clot has formed in a patient's brain

  • Monoclonal antibodies injected into blood
  • Image of affected area taken using PET Scan
  • If blood clot present -> it will be concentrated in one area + appear bright on the screen
• What happens when blood clots

  • Proteins in the blood join together -> forms solid mesh
  • Monoclonal antibodies developed to bind to proteins
  • Radioactive element can also be attached to them
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used to diagnose if someone has cancer or not

  • Cancerous cells have antigens
  • MA can be designed to bind specifically to these antigens
  • MA labelled with radioactive element
  • When injected -> binds with these cancer cells -> clumps together
  • Detected with PET scanner
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used to treat cancer

  • MA can attach to antigens of cancer cells + encourage immune system to destroy it
  • MA can have drug attached -> when they attach to antigens -> it can kill it
• What are other methods of treating cancer

  • Radiotherapy
  • Chemotherapy
• What are the disadvantages of radiotherapy + chemotherapy

  Can destroy healthy living cells + have side effects
• What are the advantages to monoclonal antibodies

  • limits damage to healthy cells
  • As drug targets cancer cells -> smaller doses can be used -> reducing side effects