monoclonal antibodies

• Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)


  Antibodies that are clones from one parent cell, specific to one type of antigen
• Production of monoclonal antibodies

  1. Specific antigen injected into an animal

  2. B-lymphocytes producing complementary antibodies extracted

  3. B-lymphocytes fuse with myeloma cells to form hybridoma cells

  4. Hybridoma cells cultured

  5. Monoclonal antibodies collected and purified
• Myeloma cells

  Type of tumour cell
• Uses of monoclonal antibodies

  • Detection of pathogens
  • Location of cancer cells and blood clots
  • Treatment of cancer
  • Used in pregnancy test kits
• what does a Pregnancy testtest for

  Tests for hCG in urine

  
• Advantages of using monoclonal antibodies to test for pathogens

  • Specific to one particular antigen
  • Very accurate
  • Quick results
• Tumour markers

  Specific antigens on the membranes of cancer cells
• Using monoclonal antibodies to diagnose cancer

  1. mAbs tagged to a radioactive substance

  2. mAbs injected into the patient's bloodstream

  3. mAbs bind to 'tumour markers' on cancer cells

  4. Emitted radiation is detected using a specialised scanner enabling doctors to determine the location of cancer cells
• Using monoclonal antibodies to target drugs to cancer cells

  1. mAbs attached to an anti-cancer drug

  2. mAbs injected into the patient's bloodstream

  3. mAbs bind to 'tumour markers' on cancer cells

  4. Anti-cancer drug destroys cancer cells
• Advantages of cancer treatments using monoclonal antibodies

  • Radiotherapy and chemotherapy target rapidly dividing cells, damaging healthy cells and producing unpleasant side effects
  • mAbs only target cancer cells, reducing damage to normal cells