monoclonal antibodies

• What are monoclonal antibodies derived from?

  A single clone of cells
• How are monoclonal antibodies produced?

  By cloning a single cell to produce antibodies
• What type of cells produce antibodies?

  B lymphocytes or B cells
• What is the role of antibodies in the immune system?

  To help fight disease by binding to antigens
• What are antigens?

  Foreign materials that antibodies bind to
• How do antibodies interact with bacteria?

  By binding to specific antigens on bacteria
• What is the significance of hybridoma cells in monoclonal antibody production?

  They produce antibodies and divide rapidly
• Why do B lymphocytes need to be fused with tumor cells?

  To create cells that divide quickly
• What is the process of creating hybridoma cells?

  Fusing B cells with fast-dividing tumor cells
• How are B lymphocytes obtained for monoclonal antibody production?

  By injecting an animal with the desired antigen
• What advantage do monoclonal antibodies have in targeting specific proteins?

  They bind to one specific target only
• What can be attached to monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic purposes?

  Drugs, fluorescent proteins, or radioactive material
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used in cancer treatment?

  By attaching drugs to target cancer cells
• What happens when monoclonal antibodies are injected into a patient?

  They locate and bind to specific cancer cells
• What is the process of producing monoclonal antibodies?

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

  • Targeting specific proteins or cells
  • Treating diseases like cancer
  • Diagnostic tools for detecting diseases
  • Delivering drugs or radioactive materials to specific sites
• What are monoclonal antibodies produced from?

  A single clone of identical hybridoma cells
• Why are monoclonal antibodies specific?

  They bind to a single site on one antigen
• How can we produce monoclonal antibodies?

  Against any antigen we want
• What are some uses of monoclonal antibodies in medicine?

  • Diagnosis (e.g., pregnancy testing)
  • Measuring hormone levels in blood
  • Detecting pathogens in blood
  • Locating specific molecules in cells or tissues
  • Treating diseases (e.g., cancer)
• What hormone do pregnancy tests detect?

  A hormone produced by the placenta
• How do pregnancy test kits work?

  Women urinate on a test strip to check for reaction
• What is an advantage of pregnancy tests using monoclonal antibodies?

  They are cheap and easy to use
• How can monoclonal antibodies help in hormone level measurement?

  They test blood samples for specific hormones
• What is a benefit of using monoclonal antibodies to detect pathogens?

  They are completely specific to the target
• How do monoclonal antibodies help locate specific molecules in cells?

  They attach to fluorescent dyes for visibility
• What happens when monoclonal antibodies are used to treat cancer?

  They deliver substances specifically to cancer cells
• What do scientists attach to antibodies for cancer treatment?

  A radioactive substance or a toxic drug
• What is the advantage of targeting cancer cells with antibodies?

  It spares healthy cells from harm
• What is a problem associated with monoclonal antibody drug trials?

  They can produce harmful side effects
• How many monoclonal antibody drugs are currently in use?

  Only a few are currently in use
• What is likely to happen with monoclonal antibody drugs in the future?

  The number of drugs is likely to increase