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Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Monoclonal antibodies

I can explain how monoclonal antibodies are produced and describe some ways in which they are used.

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New
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Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Monoclonal antibodies

I can explain how monoclonal antibodies are produced and describe some ways in which they are used.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Monoclonal antibodies recognise a specific target, such as an antigen or other biological molecule.
  2. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by combining a lymphocyte and a tumour cell to produce a hybridoma.
  3. The hybridoma divides to make many copies of this single clone, which make monoclonal antibodies.
  4. Monoclonal antibodies are used to detect pathogen antigens & molecules associated with pregnancy, blood clots & cancer.
  5. Monoclonal antibodies can be attached to radioactive and toxic substances to treat diseased cells, e.g. tumour cells.

Keywords

  • Antigen - A molecule on the surface of a pathogen or other cell, which triggers an immune response.

  • Lymphocyte - A white blood cell that is part of the immune system and produces antibodies against a specific antigen.

  • Monoclonal antibodies - Antibodies produced from a single clone of a hybridoma.

  • Tumour cell - A cell that undergoes uncontrolled cell division.

  • Hybridoma - An antibody-producing lymphocyte and a tumour cell fused together.

Common misconception

Monoclonal antibodies can act as a 'magic bullet' to deliver medication to certain cells.

The human body is complex and therapies using monoclonal antibodies have had some serious side effects. New treatments should always be treated with caution.

Pregnancy and disease test strips often have two lines that appear. One shows the test has worked. The other shows if the test is positive or negative. This prevents incorrect results.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are white blood cells?
Correct answer: lymphocytes
erythrocytes
platelets
Correct answer: phagocytes
plasma
Q2.
The main role of which human system is to protect us from disease?
respiratory system
Correct answer: immune system
endocrine system
circulatory system
digestive system
Q3.
What are the subunits of proteins?
Correct Answer: amino acids
Q4.
Match the term to its meaning.
Correct Answer:antibody,proteins produced by a type of white blood cell

proteins produced by a type of white blood cell

Correct Answer:antigens,the proteins on the surface of cells

the proteins on the surface of cells

Correct Answer:lymphocyte,white blood cells that produce antibodies

white blood cells that produce antibodies

Correct Answer:phagocytes,white blood cells that engulf pathogens and digest them

white blood cells that engulf pathogens and digest them

Q5.
Select the best description of cancer.
a disease caused by a bacterium
a disease that can be passed between individuals
Correct answer: when uncontrolled cell division causes tumours to grow
a disease caused by a virus
Q6.
The Oak pupils are discussing vaccination. Who is correct?
Laura: "Vaccines contain antibodies."
Sam: "Vaccines contain drugs that stop a person becoming unwell."
Correct answer: Jacob: "Vaccines contain antigens."
Lucas: "Vaccines are always given as an injection."

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Antigens and antibodies are in their shape.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: complementary
Q2.
Where are lymphocytes extracted from when making monoclonal antibodies?
white blood cells
Correct answer: the spleen
the blood
the hybridoma
the liver
Q3.
What is a hybridoma?
a type of white blood cell produced by mice
a type of white blood cell produced by the spleen
a vaccination combining antigens and antibodies
Correct answer: a white blood cell and a tumour cell that have been combined
Q4.
Put these steps in order to show how monoclonal antibodies are made.
An image in a quiz
1 - The mouse is injected an antigen.
2 - The mouse’s immune system doesn’t recognise the antigen and produces lymphocytes
3 - The lymphocytes produce antibodies.
4 - The scientists remove lymphocyte cells from an organ called the spleen.
5 - The lymphocyte cells are fused with human cancerous white blood cells.
6 - The hybridoma cells continue to divide, making many identical clones.
7 - The cloned hybridoma cells are grown in culture and continue making the antibody
Q5.
Select the uses of monoclonal antibodies.
Correct answer: detecting pathogens to diagnose disease
Correct answer: detecting pregnancy
being a 'magic bullet' to deliver treatments
detecting genetic diseases
Correct answer: detecting and locating molecules in cells and tissue
Q6.
In a pregnancy test what is the monoclonal antibody attaching to?
An image in a quiz
a lymphocyte
a drug
Correct answer: a hormone
an antigen
the embryo