Monoclonal antibodies

• Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies
• • antibodies are produced from b-lymphocytes cells and are produced in response to antigens
  • monoclonal antibodies are produced from lots of clones of a single white blood cell
• lymphocytes dont divide easily therefore they’re fused with tumour cells to create a hybridoma
• hybridoma

  • Can be cloned to get lots of identical cells
  • these cells produce the same antibodies
  • these antibodies can be collected and purified
• monoclonal antibodies are used in pregnancy tests

  the hormone HCG is found in the urine of women when they’re pregnant
• how pregnancy tests work

  1. The stick you wee on has some antibodies to the hormone with blue beads attached
  2. the test strip has some more antibodies stuck onto it
  3. if you’re pregnant the hormone binds to the blue beads
  4. urine moves up the stick carrying the hormone
  5. the blue beads get stuck on the strip which shows a positive result
• Monoclonal antibodies can be used to treat diseases

  1. In the lab you can make monoclonal antibodies that bind to tumour markers
  2. an anti-cancer drug can be attached to these monoclonal antibodies.
  3. the antibodies are given to a patient through a drip and they target specific cells because they only bind to tumour markers

  
• Uses of monoclonal antibodies

  • Bind to hormones and other chemicals in blood to measure their levels
  • test blood samples for pathogens
  • locate specific molecules on a cell or in a tissue
• Problems with monoclonal antibodies

  • they can cause: fever
  • vomiting
  • low blood pressure

  this means they aren’t as widely used as treatments