monoclonal antibodies

• Monoclonal antibodies are identical copies of one type of antibody
• Pregnancy test kits use monoclonal antibodies.
• 1. An antigen is injected into a mouse
• 2. The mouse naturally produces lymphocytes, which produce antibodies specific to the antigen
• 3. Spleen cells which produce the lymphocytes are removed during a small operation
• 4. The spleen cells are fused with human cancerous white blood cells called myeloma cells to form hybridoma cells which divide indefinitely
• 5. These hybridoma cells divide and produce millions of monoclonal antibodies specific to the original antigen