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Monoclonal Antibodies
Antibodies are proteins produced by our white blood cells to recognise and attach to pathogens
They clump them together for different white blood cells to engulf and destroy the pathogens with enzymes
Antigens are also proteins and antibodies are produced to fit the exact shape of each different antigen
Antibodies can be made to bind to almost any substance provided it has an antigen
The antibodies are very specific for the antigen to which they bind
Once antibodies are bound to this substance it can be more easily detected and removed (if possible)
Developed by Georges Kohler (1946-1995) and Cesar Milstein (1927-2002)
To use monoclonal antibodies for medical test and treatments first large numbers of identical antibodies must be produced
'Mono' - one, 'clonal' - identical copies
The Procedure
An antigen is injected into a mouse
The mouse's immune response begins and after several days the white blood cells produce antibodies
Spleen cells are collected from the mouse, these contain antibody-producing white blood cells
These are fused with myeloma cells (cells turned cancerous) to form hybridoma cells
Hybridoma cells are collected and then grow in a culture medium
Continue to produce large amounts of monoclonal antibodies to the original antibodies put into the mouse
Using them
Common use is in pregnancy tests, diagnostic
Here they are used to identify a hormone called HCG in a pregnant woman's urine
Also used to treat diseases, more than diagnostic
They have been designed to help the immune system attack cancerous cells and also carry toxic drugs or radiation to them
The drugs need to be toxic to kill the cancer cells and the monoclonal antibodies will ONLY bind to cancer cells and leave normal cells alone and radiation/toxic substances free
Unfortunately have side effects so not yet as widely used in medicine as was originally predicted