B9 Monoclonal antibodies

• Tumour cells


  Can divide and grow endlessly
• Creating hybridoma cells


  1. Lymphocytes are fused with tumour cells

  2. A single hybridoma cell can divide to make a large number of identical cells called a clone

  3. All the cloned cells can make the antibody
• Monoclonal antibodies


  • Specific to a single binding site on a specific protein antigen
  • Can be used to target specific chemicals or cells
• Use of monoclonal antibodies


  • Research: Locate specific molecules in cells and tissues
  • Treatment: Deliver toxic chemicals and drugs specifically to cancer cells
  • Diagnostic testing: Measure levels of a particular chemical in the blood or detect pathogens
  • Pregnancy tests: Detect HCG hormone in urine
• Monoclonal antibodies produce more side effects than researchers expected when they were first developed, so they are not yet as widely used as was hoped
• Binary fission


  The process by which bacteria divide
• Culture media for microorganisms


  • Nutrient broth solution
  • Agar gel plates
• Good aseptic technique is important for growing uncontaminated cultures of bacteria
• Culturing bacteria


  1. Sterilise culture media and agar before use

  2. Wipe bench/table with disinfectant

  3. Pass inoculating loop through a blue Bunsen flame and allow to cool slightly

  4. Lift the lid as little as possible when dipping the inoculating loop

  5. Lift one side of the agar gel plate's lid as little as possible when inoculating the agar

  6. Do not create an airtight seal when taping the lid on

  7. Do not incubate at temperatures higher than 25°C

  8. Incubate plates with the surface of the agar facing downwards

  9. Pass inoculating loop through a blue Bunsen flame and place on a heatproof mat to cool

  10. Wipe bench/table with disinfectant
• Bacteria can multiply by doubling every 20 minutes if they have enough nutrients and the optimum temperature