How hybridoma cells make one antibody in bulk, and how monoclonal antibodies are used in tests and treatment.
What you will learn
- Put the steps of making monoclonal antibodies in order
- Explain why lymphocytes are fused with tumour cells
- Read a pregnancy test and explain its control window
- Explain how monoclonal antibodies target cancer cells
Making them
Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies, all made by a clone of one cell, so they all bind to one antigen.
- inject a mouse with the antigen
- take lymphocytes that make the matching antibody
- fuse them with tumour cells to make hybridoma cells: the lymphocyte gives the antibody, the tumour cell the fast division
- clone a single hybridoma cell, then collect and purify the antibody
- One hybridoma cell divides every 24 hours for 10 days
- 10 × 24 ÷ 24 = 10 divisions
- 1 × 2¹⁰ = 1024 = 1.02 × 10³ cells
The rest of this lesson and its 11 practice questions are locked.
In this lesson
- Making them
- Using them
- Try it: Steps in order
11 practice questions, marked as you go; about 20 minutes in all.
Key terms
Monoclonal antibodies, Tumour cells, Hybridoma
In this unit: Infection and response
Pathogens and how they spread, the body's defences and the immune system, vaccines, antibiotics and resistance, drug trials, and (Biology only) monoclonal antibodies and plant disease.