MABs

• Monoclonal antibody


  Antibodies produced from a single clone of hybridoma cells, specific to one binding site on one protein antigen
• Production of monoclonal antibodies

  1. Inject mouse with antigen

  2. Collect lymphocytes from mouse

  3. Fuse lymphocyte with tumor cell to form hybridoma

  4. Select single hybridoma cell producing desired antibody

  5. Allow hybridoma cell to divide by mitosis to form clone
• Monoclonal antibodies


  • Specific to one binding site on one protein antigen
  • Can target specific chemicals or cells in the body
  • Have a large number of uses
• Lymphocytes produce antibodies against foreign objects called antigens
• Lymphocytes will not divide by mitosis on their own
• Hybridoma cells can produce antibodies and divide by mitosis
• Monoclonal antibodies are produced from a clone of identical hybridoma cells
• A large amount of monoclonal antibody can be collected and purified
• Monoclonal antibodies


  Produced from a single clone of identical hybridoma cells, specific to a single binding site on one protein antigen
• Monoclonal antibodies


  • Can be produced against any antigen that we want
  • Extremely useful in medicine
• Uses of monoclonal antibodies

  • Diagnosis (e.g. pregnancy testing)
  • Measuring hormone levels in blood
  • Detecting pathogens in blood
  • Locating/identifying specific molecules in cells/tissues
  • Treating diseases (e.g. cancer)
• Pregnancy testing using monoclonal antibodies

  1. Detect a specific hormone produced by the placenta

  2. Woman urinates on test strip and looks for reaction

  3. Test is cheap, easy to use, and highly accurate
• Using monoclonal antibodies to measure hormone levels

  1. Blood sample taken and sent for analysis

  2. Test uses monoclonal antibodies to detect hormone levels
• Using monoclonal antibodies to detect pathogens


  Monoclonal antibodies are completely specific to what we're looking for
• Using monoclonal antibodies to locate/identify molecules in cells

  1. Monoclonal antibodies attached to fluorescent dyes

  2. Antibodies stick to specific molecules within the cell

  3. Allows us to see the locations
• Using monoclonal antibodies to treat diseases (e.g. cancer)

  1. Monoclonal antibodies made specific to cancer cells

  2. Radioactive substance or toxic drug attached to antibody

  3. Antibody delivers substance specifically to cancer cells without harming other cells
• There have been problems with harmful side effects in some drug trials using monoclonal antibodies
• Only a few drugs in use based on monoclonal antibodies at the moment, but this is likely to increase in the future