3.9 - Monoclonal Antibodies

• What is a monoclonal antibody?

  An antibody which is made from clones of a single type of cell
• How do antibodies work?

  1. Small proteins produced by a special white blood cell called a B-lymphocyte.
  2. They bind to antigens on the surface of foreign material.
  3. This marks the material for destruction.
• Where are monoclonal antibodies made?

  In a lab
• What are the steps to producing monoclonal antibodies?

  1. Inject an animal, like a mouse, with the antigen they we want our antibodies to bind to.
  2. Let the animal develop an immune response, and then isolate some of their B-lymphocytes (which produce the wanted antibody).
  3. Combine those B-lymphocytes with fast-dividing tumour cells to form hybridoma cells.
  4. Let these hybridoma cells divide in a Petri dish.
  5. Collect and purify the monoclonal antibodies they produce.
• What substances can we attach to the bottom of antibodies in order to locate or destroy specific types of cells?

  Fluorescent proteins

  Radioactive material

  Drugs