Monoclonal Antibodies

• What are monoclonal antibodies?

  Identical antibodies engineered for specific uses
• How are monoclonal antibodies produced?

  From clones of a single white blood cell
• Why can't lymphocytes be easily grown in culture?


  They don't divide very easily
• What type of cells can be fused with B-lymphocytes to create hybridomas?

  Tumour cells
• What is a hybridoma cell?

  A fused cell from a B-lymphocyte and tumour cell
• What do hybridoma cells produce?

  Monoclonal antibodies
• What is a key advantage of monoclonal antibodies?

  They target specific proteins or cells
• What hormone do pregnancy tests detect?

  hCG
• How do pregnancy tests work?

  They detect hCG in urine
• What happens if a woman is pregnant and uses a pregnancy test?

  The blue beads get stuck on the strip
• What occurs if a woman is not pregnant when using a pregnancy test?

  The blue beads do not stick to the strip
• What is one application of monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment?

  They target specific cancer cells
• What are tumour markers?

  Antigens on cancer cell membranes
• How can monoclonal antibodies be used in laboratories?

  To measure levels of hormones and chemicals
• What is the role of fluorescent dye in monoclonal antibody tests?

  To detect specific molecules in samples
• What is a significant advantage of monoclonal antibodies over traditional cancer treatments?

  They target specific cells, reducing side effects
• What unexpected side effects can monoclonal antibodies cause?

  Fever, vomiting, and low blood pressure
• Why are monoclonal antibodies not as widely used as initially expected?

  They cause more side effects than anticipated
• What are the steps involved in using monoclonal antibodies to locate specific molecules in a sample?

  1. Create monoclonal antibodies for specific molecules.
  2. Bind antibodies to a fluorescent dye.
  3. If molecules are present, antibodies attach and can be detected using the dye.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using monoclonal antibodies in medicine?

  Advantages:

  • Target specific cells, reducing side effects
  • Useful in cancer treatment

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Can cause unexpected side effects
  • Not as widely used as anticipated
• What is the purpose of the test strip in a pregnancy test?

  To detect the presence of hCG
• How do monoclonal antibodies help in detecting pathogens in blood samples?

  They bind to specific pathogens for testing
• How does the process of using monoclonal antibodies differ in research compared to medical treatment?

  In research, they locate molecules; in treatment, they target cells