Monoclonal Antibodies Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are antibodies produced by?
B-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell
Where are monoclonal antibodies produced from, and what does this mean?
Monoclonal antibodies are produced from lots of clones of a single white blood cell. This means all the antibodies are identical and will only target one specific protein antigen
What do lymphocytes not do easily?
They don’t divide easily
Do tumour cells produce antibodies? How much do they divide? Do they grow easily?
Tumour cells do not produce antibodies, but they divide lots, so they can be grown very easily.
What do you fuse together to create a hybridoma?
A mouse B-lymphocyte with a tumour cell
How are hybridoma cells useful?
Hybridoma cells can be cloned to get lots of identical cells. These cells all produced the same antibodies (monoclonal antibodies). The antibodies can be collected and purified.
How do you get a mouse to produce B-lymphocytes?
Mice are injected with an antigen, which stimulates their immune system. Their B lymphocytes then produce antibodies against the antigen.
What produces monoclonal antibodies?
Hybridoma cells
Why are monoclonal antibodies useful?
You can make monoclonal antibodies bind to anything you want. They are useful because they will only bind to one target, and this means you can use them to target a specific cell or chemical in the body
What hormone is found in the urine of pregnant women?
HCG
What are the antigens on cancer cells called?
Tumour markers
How are monoclonal antibodies used to kill cancer cells?
Cancer cells have antigens on their cell membranes that aren’t found on normal body cells. They’re called tumour markers in the lab. You can make monoclonal antibodies that will bind to these tumour markers and anti-cancer drug can be attached to these monoclonal antibodies. This might be a radioactive substance, a toxic drug or a chemical which stops cancer cells growing and dividing. 
How can monoclonal antibodies be used to kill cancer cells?
Different cells in the body have different antigens on their cell surface so you can make monoclonal antibodies that will bind to specific cells in the body. Cancer cells have antigens on their cell membrane that aren’t found on normal body cells. They’re called tumour markers. In the lab you can make monoclonal antibodies that will bind to these tumour markers and anti-cancer drug can be attached to these monoclonal antibodies. This might be a radioactive substance, toxic drug, or a chemical which stops cancer cells growing and dividing. The antibodies are given to the patient through a drip. The antibodies target specific cells because they only bind to the tumour markers. The drug kills the cancer cells but doesn’t kill any normal body cells near the tumour.
How are antibodies given to a patient?
Through a drip
What can monoclonal antibodies be used for?
Bind two hormones and other chemicals in the blood to measure their levels, test blood samples in laboratories for certain pathogens, and locate specific molecules on a cell or in a tissue.
How do monoclonal antibodies locate specific molecules in a cell or tissue?
First monoclonal antibodies are made that will bind to the specific molecules you’re looking for.
The antibodies are then bound to a fluorescent dye
If the molecules are present in the sample, your analysing the monoclonal antibodies will attach to them and they can be detected using the dye
What are disadvantages of monoclonal antibodies?
They can cause side effects like a fever, vomiting, and low blood pressure
List three things that can be bound to a monoclonal antibody to treat cancer.
A radioactive substance, a toxic drug, and a chemical which stops cells growing and dividing.
