Monoclonal Antibodies & Vaccines

• What is a monoclonal antibody?

  Antibodies with the same tertiary structure (as the antibody it was produced from). Identical/cloned plasma cells/B cells/B lymphocytes
• What are the uses of monoclonal antibodies?

  • Targeting medicine
  • Medical diagnosis
  • Pregnancy testing
• What are the ethical issues of monoclonal antibodies?

  • Involves the use of mice- induces cancer in mice
  • Some treated people have died
  • Drug trials can be dangerous
• What are the advantages of monoclonal antibodies?

  • Highly specific
  • Not toxic
  • Fewer side effects
• Direct ELISA test

  • Add sample
  • Wash
  • Add Ab, specific to Ag, conjugated to enzyme
  • Wash
  • Add substrate

  
• Indirect ELISA test

  • Add Ag
  • Wash
  • Sample- Ab present?
  • Wash
  • Add 2nd Ab, specific to 1st Ab
  • Wash

  
• What is herd immunity

  • In some cases vaccination is ineffective or inappropriate
  • If a large proportion of the population are immune (~95%) the disease has little opportunity to spread and cause an epidemic
  • Members of the population who are not immune are therefore protected
  • This is herd immunity