Communicable Disease - Monoclonal Antibodies
How are mooclonal antibodies produced?
1- A mouse is injected with an antigen
2- Mouse lymphocytes in the spleen are stimulated to produce antibodies that will bind to the antigen
3- Human tumour cells (rapidly dividing) are combined with the lymphocytes to form hybridoma cells
4- These cells divide rapidly and produce the antibodies
5- Millions of monoclonal antibodies can be collected and purfied
What are the uses of monoclonal antibodies?
-Pregnancy testing (hCG hormone)
-Testing blood for hormones, antigens on pathogens or proteins
-Identify molecules in cells or tissues by binding to a fluorescent marker
-Treating cancer by delivering radioactive therapy drug directly to cancer cells by only binding to cancer cells antigens
-Reduces harm to ither cells in body
-Prevents cancer cells dividing or kills them
What are the pros of using monoclonal amtibodies?
-Produces quickly
-Can bind to almost any substance
-Help to quickly diagnose disease
-Help to target cancer treatments
What are the cons with using monoclonal antibodies?
-Very expensive to produce
-Create more side effects than first thought
-Not able to be as widely used as first hoped
-Time consuming to produce
What are the ethical problems with using monoclonal antibodies?
-Objections to the use of animals needed to produce them
-Issues with clinical trials causing serious side effects in humans even after arrival testing