Monoclonal antibodies

• What cells synthesize antibodies?

  B cells
• How many identical binding sites do antibodies have?

  2
• What do antibodies bind to?

  Antigens
• What is the variable region of an antibody?

  It has a specific 3D shape
• What are the two types of polypeptide chains in antibodies?

  Heavy chains and light chains
• What forms when an antibody binds to an antigen?

  Antigen-antibody complex
• How do antibodies prepare antigens for destruction?

  By causing agglutination and marking for phagocytes
• What is the purpose of agglutination by antibodies?

  To clump bacterial cells together
• What is the process of producing monoclonal antibodies?

  • Different B cells multiply for each antigen
  • Clones produce different antibodies
  • Isolate and clone one type for monoclonal antibodies
• What are some uses of monoclonal antibodies in medicine?

  Medical diagnosis and targeted therapy
• How do monoclonal antibodies target specific cell types?

  By attaching drugs to antibodies
• What hormone do home pregnancy tests detect?

  hCG
• How does the hCG-antibody complex work in pregnancy tests?

  It creates a colored line on the strip
• What role do monoclonal antibodies play in cancer diagnosis?

  Measure PSA levels in blood samples
• What ethical concerns exist regarding monoclonal antibody production?

  Involves inducing cancer in mice
• What happened in the March 2006 trial of TGN1412?

  Severe immune reactions occurred in volunteers
• How do monoclonal antibodies help in transplant surgery?

  They can knock out T cells
• What are the applications of monoclonal antibodies summarized?

  • Separate chemicals from mixtures
  • Immunoassays for substance quantification
  • Pregnancy and drug tests
  • Cancer treatment targeting
• How do monoclonal antibodies activate cytotoxic drugs?

  Only activated by cancer cells
• What is the main advantage of direct monoclonal antibody therapy?

  Highly specific with fewer side effects
• What is the most successful method of cancer treatment using monoclonal antibodies?

  Direct monoclonal antibody therapy
• What is the advantage of indirect monoclonal therapy?

  Can use smaller doses and reduce side effects
• What is the role of monoclonal antibodies in medical diagnosis?

  Vital for diagnosing various diseases
• What is the significance of PSA levels in prostate cancer diagnosis?

  Higher levels may indicate prostate cancer
• What is the function of the constant region of an antibody?

  Binds to receptors on cells
• What is the structure of antibodies?

  4 polypeptide chains with variable and constant regions
• How do monoclonal antibodies differ from polyclonal antibodies?

  Monoclonal antibodies are identical, polyclonal are diverse