monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and HIV

Question 1

State the two ways in which monoclonal antibodies, can be used for treatment.

Answer 1

1. Can be used in therapeutics.
2. Can be used in medical diagnosis.

Question 2

explain how monoclonal antibodies, can be used in therapeutics.

Answer 2

1.You can administer monoclonal antibodies, which bind to the complementary antigens, in the cancer cell.
- This prevents other molecules that stimulate cell division, from binding. ( This is good, because monoclonal antibodies are non-toxic , and thus will not harm the body).
2. The second method is placing a drug on the monoclonal antibody, which kills the cancer cell.
- This is good, because it can reduce the chance of a drug, affecting other parts of the body.

Question 3

explain how monoclonal antibodies can be used in medical diagnosis.

Answer 3

Many conditions, produce many molecules, which monoclonal antibodies can bind to.

The formation of the antibody-antigen complex, enables the condition to be detected.

ex; preganncy test.

Question 4

describe the ethical issues with monoclonal antibodies.

Answer 4

1. acquiring antibodies for treatment, involves deliberately infecting mice.
2. During human trials, there have been cases of serious side effects, and even death.

Question 5

What are the two types of immunity?

Answer 5

passive immunity and active immunity.

Question 6

Describe passive immunity.

Answer 6

It is acquired when antibodies are introduced into the body.

It is fast acting, but it doesnt create any new memory cells, or any new antibodies.

This means that the antibodies dont get replaced once they are broken down, which means NO long term immunity.

Question 7

Describe Active immunity.

Answer 7

Occurs when the body produces its own antibodies, in response to exposure to a certain antigen.

It is slow acting, but results in memory cells.
Due to the memory cells, it results in long term immunity.

Question 8

what are the two ways in which active immunity is aquired?

Answer 8

1. Exposure to pathogen.
2. vaccine ( contains a small ammount of a pathogens antigens).

Question 9

which type of people cannot be vaccinated?

Answer 9

Vulnerbale people ( old people, babies, basicly those with weaker immune systems).

Question 10

explain what herd immunity is, and how it can help people which cant get vaccinated.

Answer 10

This arises when a sufficiently large proportion of the population, has been vaccinated.

when more people are immune, fewer people can carry the pathogen , so, therefore, unvaccinated people are much less likely to come into contact with an infected person, and thus less likely to get infected.

Question 11

What is the main factor which affects vaccines.

Answer 11

antign variability ( if the virus mutates).

The virus now contains different antigens. which means that the vaccine now contains the wrong antigens.

the antibodies produced, w’ont be complementary to the new pathogen ( with a different antigen).

Question 12

discuss the ethical issues with vaccines.

Answer 12

1. The development of vaccines, involves testing on animals.
2. Although rare, some vaccines may have dangerous side effects.
3. There is a debate wether vaccines should be made complementary

Question 13

What does HIV stand for?

Answer 13

Human immunodeficiency virus.

Question 14

What does HIV lead to?

Answer 14

It leads to AIDS.

Question 15

What does AIDS stand for?

Answer 15

acquired immune deficinecy syndrome.

Question 16

Describe the 7 steps of HIV replication.

Answer 16

1. Once the HIV enters the blood, an attachemnt protein binds to a helper T-cell.
2. HIV,s protein capsid , fuses with the help of the helper T-cells membrane, allowing viral RNA, and enzymes to enter the cell.
3. Reverse transcriptase, the converts RNA into DNA.
4. This viral DNA, then enters the helper T-cells nucleus, whre it integrates into the hosts cell DNA. ( It can stay dormant for years).
5. This viral DNA, is then transcribed to produce viral MRNA.
6. This mRNA, leaves the nucleus and is translated to produce viral proteins.
7. These viral proteins, then reassemble to form a new HIV , which breaks away from the helpe T-cell.

At this point, the helper T Cell is already destroyed.

Question 17

what problems occur if we dont have helper T-cells.

Answer 17

the immune system is unable to avtivate enough B cells, to produce antibodies.

Cant produce toxins to attract phagocytes.

Cant stimulate cytotoxic T-cells.