Monoclonal Antibodies Lecture Notes

Key Objectives

• Understand what monoclonal antibodies are.
• Describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced.

Overview of Antibodies

• Antibodies are protein molecules that attach to pathogens.
• They are produced by white blood cells called lymphocytes.
• Antibodies target anything foreign to the body, known as antigens.

Production of Monoclonal Antibodies

1. Injection of Antigen:

   • A lab mouse is injected with an antigen.
   • This prompts lymphocytes in the mouse to produce antibodies against the antigen.

2. Collection of Lymphocytes:

   • Lymphocytes are collected from the mouse.
   • Challenge: Lymphocytes do not divide by mitosis.

3. Fusion with Tumor Cells:

   • Lymphocytes are fused with tumor cells, which can divide by mitosis.
   • The result is a hybrid cell called "hybridoma."

4. Hybridoma Cell Production:

   • Hybridoma cells can produce antibodies and divide by mitosis.

5. Selection and Cloning:

   • A single hybridoma cell producing the desired antibody is selected.
   • This cell is allowed to divide, forming identical hybridoma cells.
   • The antibodies produced are identical, termed "monoclonal antibodies."

6. Collection and Purification:

   • Large quantities of monoclonal antibodies are collected and purified.

Characteristics of Monoclonal Antibodies

• Produced from a single clone of hybridoma cells.
• Specific to one binding site on one protein antigen.
• Can target specific chemicals or cells in the body.

Applications

• Used in pregnancy testing kits.
• Utilized in certain cancer treatments.

Conclusion

• Monoclonal antibodies have numerous applications due to their specificity and ability to target precise cells or chemicals.
• For more exploration, refer to the revision workbook linked in the lecture.

Next Steps

• The next video will cover the various uses of monoclonal antibodies more extensively.